


Family Ties

by CALLEN37



Category: NCIS
Genre: Angst, Dysfunctional Family, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Secrets, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-06
Updated: 2013-03-13
Packaged: 2017-11-20 12:03:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 23,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/585221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CALLEN37/pseuds/CALLEN37
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jimmy leaves his old home and past behind him, a twist of fate brings him back to his family. However how will the team handle the secrets Palmer has been keeping.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N Yes I know I still have two stories to finish, but i was woken by an email at 1 am this morning from Pretty Punk Princess 27 ( on fan fiction. net) who asked nicely if i could write a Jimmy centric story. Unfortuantly this woke up my little plot bunnies so i figured so i can finish the other stories I should put this out there and let you all have a look and see what ya think.
> 
> Jackson Gibbs does come across very OOC at the moment, he isn't nasty, just sad. so please no lynching me. Also the timeline is a bit wrong but i'm too tired to count, just roll with it guys...its a story.
> 
> Disclaimer, I do not own NCIS...YET!

17-year-old James Alvin Gibbs snuck out of his bedroom window at the back of the general store in Stillwater and picked up his bag, without a backwards glance at the house he was gone…

He had grown up his whole life being second best to a brother he had only heard about, a high school football star and a Marine.

His father and brother had fallen out before he was born, he knew he had been conceived the night of his brothers' wife and daughters' funeral and his mother and father had only been together a short while.

His mother Eunice was a lovely woman. She had tried to have a relationship with Jack but she got tired of being constantly compared to his first wife Anne. That and having her son compared to his 'missing' big brother Leroy was too much for the poor woman to take.

She lived in the next town over close enough so she could see Jimmy, as he liked to be called, although his father insisted on calling him James. He had not allowed her to take James and he had been raised by his father who was a strict authoritarian.

Jimmy was a shy and kind boy who although wasn't abused by his father physically was afraid of him, he had always grown up not feeling like he was good enough and spent many a night crying in his room just hoping that his father would one day say 'well done, Jimmy!' for any of his accomplishments.

James was bright, he won the schools prize for the highest mark in biology and brought it home proudly showing it to his father, Jack looked at it and sadly remarked how Leroy had won footballer of the year when he had been in high school at that age.

This was how Jimmy had grown up always trying to live up to a brother he had never met and had only seen in pictures. He knew his brother was a marine and once had tried to find him until Jack had found out and scolded him. "If Leroy ever wants to contact us he will, he left me not the other way round," Jack had said slamming his fist on the table at a cowering James.

The night before James left he and Jack had had another argument, James had come home from school having seen the careers adviser and had wanted to go into medicine, he had the grades and got flyers for the medical colleges he could get into.

He had come in and left them on the table while he fetched himself a drink.

"What's the meaning of this?" Jackson asked as he picked up the flyer.

"Dad, I saw the careers adviser today, I want to go to medical school, my grades and exam results look ok and I can get into any of these," He said indicating the flyers on the table.

"You will NOT leave me and go away to school, you are going to run the store with me you know this," Jackson said stubbornly.

"But I want to be a doctor." James said stubbornly, pouting a little.

"I will hear no more of this, go to your room, in the morning you will start work in the store, it says Gibbs and sons above the door and you WILL work there." Jackson yelled at James' back as he stormed off up the stairs.

James packed his bag, waited until it was dark and threw his bag out of the window.

Eight years later, while working his way through medical school Jimmy sitting in the diner near his bedsit was looking through some ads and found one for a medical examiners intern at NCIS. It was close to school and a government agency internship would look great on his transcripts. 'Besides' he thought to himself, 'I can sleep when I am dead' he grinned picked up a pen and applied.

Dr. Mallard sat down with a sigh and started wading through yet more Emails of interns wanting to join NCIS. After Gerald had been injured, Director Morrow had thought it would be a good idea to hire an intern instead of another assistant. Ducky took a break from the endless stream of emails to open his post. He stopped and smiled. He had found his new intern.

Jimmy stood outside the building nervous but excited; he walked down to autopsy with his new credentials attached to his cheap but smart suit.

"Dr. Mallard?" he coughed politely as he entered autopsy.

"Ah, James Palmer," Ducky said and Jimmy flinched, "Actually Dr. Mallard its Jimmy," He replied. Ducky noticed and corrected himself. "Jimmy lets get you into some scrubs and show you around. I'm afraid we do not have any guests at the moment but I will introduce you to people as we meet them, and please Jimmy call me Ducky."

Jimmy settled into life in autopsy, sleeping in his lunch breaks and studying when the workload got light.

He had already met Abby Scuito the forensic scientist, he instantly liked her and they were already fast friends. Kate and Tony were polite and friendly as well and they introduced him to Tim McGee the new Probie although he had been there about as long as he had.

He had heard about Gibbs the Boss, he had inwardly sighed; trust him to have that name. However, he sucked it up and carried on besides there had to be hundred of Gibbs' in the world, right?

"Mr. Palmer?" Ducky called, "We have a guest coming in from Rock Creek Park." Ducky told him and Jimmy began setting out the instruments.

He helped place the body on the table and began readying it for autopsy.

Without looking back, he heard the door open. "What-cha got me Duck?" A deep voice asked from behind him.

"Jethro, our guest has only been here a matter of moments, even I am not that fast," Ducky said. "I would like you to meet my new intern Mr. Palmer."

Jimmy smiled and turned around, however the smile slipped from his face and he dropped the scalpel he had been holding as he found himself looking face to face with the actual man whose image he had begun to hate.

"Mr. Palmer, Leroy Jethro Gibbs."

Jimmy stuttered, apologized, and bent to pick up the scalpel. Gibbs nodded at him and walked off, "Call me when you have something Ducky." He called behind him.

Jimmy sat heavily in a chair; he had just come face to face with his brother!


	2. Chapter 2

"Mr. Palmer?" Ducky queried at the look on his young assistants face.

"Dr. Mallard. I….I'm sorry I didn't mean to," He bent quickly and picked up the scalpel, which he had now dropped for the second time.

"I know Jethro can be a big disconcerting to people who meet him for the first time, but he really is a lovely man," Ducky said

Jimmy turned away, "Yeah, I bet he's a saint," He said under his breath and continued cleaning up.

The day continued as normal, luckily Gibbs had not come back into autopsy, in truth Gibbs had been unnerved by his effect on the young medical examiners assistant, he wracked his brains but he was convinced he didn't know the boy, but the look of recognition, horror and a touch of hatred had shocked Jethro to the core. His gut was nagging at him; something was, as Abby would have put it 'Hinky.' However, they still had a case to deal with and he knew that working for NCIS meant the boy had had a thorough background check so Ducky was not in any danger. In addition, right now he was still obsessed with finding the terrorist who had broken into NCIS a month before and had injured Gerald.

* * *

Jimmy finished his shift and bumped into Abby on his way out, "Hey Jimmy, you still coming bowling tonight, I have most of Team Gibbs going,"

Jimmy's face fell, "I…I can't tonight, I have a test tomorrow." He admitted slightly grateful that he had a real excuse although he still had his evening job to do first.

"Oh, OK. Good luck for your test," Abby said brightly as she exited the elevator on Gibbs' floor.

He rode the rest of the way down and walked to the bus stop, His car had broken down again and parts were way down on his list of priorities right now. He stopped in an internet café, ordered a coffee and some time on a computer, and emailed his mother, as he was wont to do each week.

This week would be different, he told his mother about his new job and how he had seen Leroy and what his first impressions of him were.

It was the last part of the email that was hardest to write and admit, "Mom, I'm scared." He had admitted, "He doesn't seem to know me, so he can't have talked to Dad, so he still doesn't know where I am and as always Mom, I love you for not telling him and allowing me to have my life. But what if he tells or finds out; I need this job for my future."

He waited knowing that his mom was waiting for the email and would answer him straight away.

He was right within a few minutes Eunice had emailed him back.

'Jimmy,

Do not worry, I saw your father today, he still has no idea where you are or that I know where you are. I know he has not had any contact with his son so chances are Leroy does not know about you. I am proud that you are using my name and following your own path and I know that when Jackson stops being so stubborn he will realize how wonderful a son you are and although he does miss Leroy I know in his own way he misses you too. Do not blame Leroy for any of this it is not his fault. Maybe one day you will be able to tell him that you are his brother and he will be as proud of you as I am.

I love you lots son,

Eunice. Xx

Jimmy looked at the email, filed it away, closed down his session on the computer, and headed to work.

* * *

Team Gibbs walked out of the bowling alley triumphant, Even Gibbs had to admit to Ducky as they left that this had been a good idea of Abby's, They had raised about $500 for the 'new roof fund' at Sister Rosita's church and had had a welcome break from all the doom and gloom of their job.

Abby walked up to Gibbs and looped her arm through his, "It's a pity Jimmy couldn't come, he has a test tomorrow." She said as they entered a bar on the corner from the bowling alley.

"Maybe next time Abbs," Gibbs said, his gut still bothered him about Jimmy but he was not about to dampen her enthusiasm.

They walked up to the bar and ordered their drinks. Abby turned with hers in her hand when he face fell, she saw jimmy sitting in a back booth in the corner, and eyes closed leaning back.

She slammed her drink on the bar and stormed over to her friend. Gibbs, Tony and Tim looked up in surprise at her change in demeanor.

"James Palmer! You lied to me!" She stated and he jumped scared.

"Dad! I….." He started and realized where he was, his shoulders slumped with relief as he realized it was Abby speaking. "Abby, you scared the hell outta me," he smiled getting to his feet.

"Oh no you don't Mister!" Abby said pushing him back into his seat, "You lied to me!"

"I…Abbs I didn't lie, I'm just…" He stopped as a voice came from the back of the bar.

"Jimmy! These dishes ain't gonna wash 'emselves boy! You want that room you get ya ass in gear!" a gruff voice came from behind a door.

Jimmy shot Abby a pleading look, "Sorry Abbs I have to go." He said and walked out the back. The owner of the voice emerged and Tony walked up to him, "I'm sorry if we got your employee into trouble, we were just asking him a question."

Mac chewed his unlit cigar and looked Tony up and down. The old man was greasy, overweight, and mean. Even Tony felt threatened. However, Mac put on a fake grin.

"Sorry about the boy, ya know what homeless kids are like, he ain't bad really, and I like to help, he just works for food and a bed out back." He said gesturing in the direction of the basement door behind him. "Little loopy in the head, reckons he's in medical school," The man chuckled, "Has books and everything."

Ducky walked up to him, "Mr. Palmer IS in medical school and he works with me during the day."

"Who?" The man looked confused, "His name ain't Palmer, Its Jimmy Jackson."

The group looked at each other concerned.

"Duck, we need to talk to him." Gibbs said

"I believe you are right Jethro," Ducky said, "However, I feel that all of us bombarding Mr. Palmer with questions may have the opposite effect than the one we desire to create. Maybe if I talked to him." He suggested.

For some reason Gibbs didn't want to leave it but he listened to Ducky and he did know the boy better than him, "We can't leave him here Ducky, Abby said he had exams tomorrow and he looks already beat,"

Gibbs turned to Mac, "I wanna see Mr. Jackson now."

Mac's expression turned sour, "He ain't got time to chat to friends if he wants a bed." He snapped.

Gibbs flashed his badge hoping it would help the man allow them to talk. But Mac lost it.

"JIMMY!" He yelled, "Grab ya stuff"

Jimmy came out looking bemused but holding two bags one of books and one of clothes.

"Ya in trouble with the law this guy has a badge, I don't need that kinda trouble your outta here." He said shoving him towards the door. Jimmy tripped down the steps, grabbed his belongings, and put them back in his bag.

"Mr. Palmer, we were just trying to help," Ducky said.

"Just wanted to talk to you Palmer, That's all," Gibbs said.

Jimmy rolls his eyes, "And yet again YOU destroy my life!" he grabbed his bags and walked off.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Gibbs asked Ducky confused, "I hardly know him." He was getting mad now.

Ducky calmed Gibbs down and sent him home, "I will catch up with our Mr. Palmer, he can stay with me tonight, and Mother is out of town, I will talk to him."

Gibbs nodded, he had no idea why Jimmy seemed to dislike him so much, and he knew he was gruff but had hardly said two words to the young man and as far as he knew, had never ruined his life.

* * *

Jimmy found himself crying as he walked, angrily blinking back the tears.

"Bloody Leroy," He snapped to himself as he pulled his bag up over his shoulder and turned the corner heading back to the homeless shelter he had vacated a month before.

Ducky pulled up beside him and called his name, but Jimmy ignored him.

"Mr. Palmer please wait!" Ducky said.

Jimmy sniffed and turned, Although Ducky had only known the young man a few days his heart hurt to see the boy so sad.

"Jimmy, please." Ducky said.

"I'm sorry Dr. Mallard, I will be into work tomorrow," Jimmy promised and walked into the shelter.

He knew Ducky wanted to talk and that he had felt bad about getting him tossed out of his bedsit, but he really wasn't ready to share and wasn't about to tell Ducky that Gibbs was the brother he had learned to hate.

The next morning bags in tow, Jimmy arrived at Autopsy. He quietly got to work hoping that the events of last night had been forgotten.

Any thoughts of a normal day were blown aside as Ducky rushed into the office, "Mr. Palmer, we need my bag," He called.

"Here it is Dr. Mallard" Jimmy said and passed it over.

"Good, Good. We need to head out to Bethesda; one of the Team has been shot." Ducky said as they left.

Jimmy was worried, he liked the team and really did not want anyone hurt but every time he tried to find out who it was that had been hurt Ducky seemed to be on the phone talking to people. Therefore, he knew he had to wait until he arrived at the hospital.

Jimmy was relieved as he turned a corner to find Tony leaning against the wall, he liked him and hoped one day that they could be good friends.

"They're taking him into surgery Ducky; He's with him now he shouldn't be long." Tony said, "He was down visiting." He explained to the older man who nodded understanding.

Ducky gathered them together as he waited for the doctor to explain what had happened.

Two men emerged and walked towards the group, Jimmy could not see who they were but he expected to find out soon.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Hendry, as you know Agent Gibbs was shot, he's just being anesthetized and I will be operating on him soon, but it looks like he will be alright. I just wanted to put your mind at ease,"

"Thanks." Ducky said and the others started to drift towards chairs to await their boss's fate.

As the crowed dispersed a voice from Jimmy's nightmares boomed across the waiting room.

"JAMES ALVIN GIBBS, COME HERE!"

Jimmy stood up and started to walk backwards away from the voice as the other heads looked up.

"Did he just say Gibbs?" Kate asked.

Tony and Abby nodded dumbly.

Jimmy looked wide-eyed into the face of his father.

"Dad….I…" He stuttered.

 


	3. Chapter 3

"Six years boy," Jackson Gibbs said as he looked at his youngest son. "You never got in touch, I thought you were dead."

"Like you would have noticed." Jimmy snapped. "And just visiting? You haven't talked to Leroy my whole life and you were home this morning!" he started getting hysterical. "You never looked for me. But you drop everything for him!"

Jimmy realized the others were looking at him and that he sounded like a whiney kid, but he could not help himself. Twenty-three years of resentment suddenly demanded an outlet.

"He's my son, he's been shot!" Jackson said stubbornly.

"AND WHAT AM I!" Jimmy shouted

"A mistake. If you were half the son that Leroy was…." Jackson said and walked away as a security guard put his hand on Jimmy's arm.

A look of sadness and defeat crossed Jimmy's face.

Tony stood up to defend Jimmy, shocked by what Jackson had said and the look of utter defeat in Jimmy's face, as he allowed the guard to escort him from the hospital, hit a nerve.

* * *

Jimmy sat on the sidewalk outside the hospital totally dejected.

Tony sat quietly next to him.

"So, a Gibbs eh!" he said waiting.

Jimmy nodded, "Leroy's my half brother, and he's been a lot to live up to over the years. I hated him, it was always Leroy did this and Leroy could do that better at your age." Jimmy sniffed.

"So why did you lie about your surname, did you know Gibbs worked here?" Tony asked.

"I didn't lie about my surname, Palmer is my mothers surname I've been using it all through school. I didn't know about Leroy until the other day when he walked into Autopsy." Jimmy admitted.

"Bet that freaked you out." Tony smirked and Jimmy smiled, "You have no idea,"

* * *

Ducky headed off in the direction of Gibbs' room passing Jackson without a glance in the hallway.

Gibbs sat up, he was surprised no one was in his room and he could hear his father shouting at someone down the hall. He unclipped the I.V. drip and managed to get himself dressed whilst favoring his wound.

He had given up on putting socks on, shucked on his shoes and was just standing up as Ducky walked in the room.

"What's going on Duck? Why is my father shouting?" He growled injured, as he was anyone hurt his father and they were going to have to deal with him.

"Jethro, you're going to exacerbate that injury if you're not careful, now sit down." Ducky said.

"Duck, who is my father shouting at?" Gibbs asked more calmly.

Ducky looked at him and realized there was no way to tell him easily, "Your Brother." He said and waited.

Gibbs looked confused, "What the hell do you mean, I don't have a brother!"

"Apparently our Mr. Palmer is in actuality a Mr. Gibbs." Ducky said.

"Duck?" Gibbs said confused.

"Jimmy Palmer is James Gibbs, your younger half sibling."

Anger and betrayal crossed Gibbs' face and he shakily stood up.

"Where is he?" Gibbs asked.

"Your father is in the hallway and James is outside with Anthony."

"I need to talk to my father." Gibbs decided.

* * *

Ducky nodded and opened the door to find Jackson standing outside. "Dad, I think we need to talk." Gibbs said.

Jackson looked at him, "My private life is none of your business Leroy." He said, "I came down here because I was told you had been shot, you seem to be ok so I'll be going now."

"Dad, I haven't seen you in over twenty years." Jethro said, "And I think you should have told me I have a brother."

"You don't." Jackson said stubbornly.

"Palmer." Gibbs prodded.

"James is NOT your brother, he was a mistake the reason I couldn't talk to you all these years!" Jackson went read in the face and clutched at his chest.

"Dad?" Gibbs looked at him, "DAD... Ducky! HELP!" he yelled.

Within moments Ducky was there followed by a nurse. "Get a wheelchair; he needs to go to ER I want and ECG of his heart."

Gibbs followed behind as they took him to E.R. as they passed the front entrance Gibbs saw Jimmy and Tony sitting on the curb.

"I'll be back," He told Ducky as he headed out to see them.

* * *

Tony looked up as Gibbs came out. Normally he would have left at the glare Gibbs sent his way, but his friend had been through enough and Tony was not going to abandon him,

"Jimmy." Gibbs said gently.

Jimmy jumped and stood up, "L….Le…Gibbs." He stuttered

Gibbs looked at him.

"I'm sorry. I'll leave." Jimmy said and turned.

"Wait, come have a coffee with me," Gibbs said desperate to stop him leaving.

"I….ok," Jimmy said, "I'm sorry about this, I know it's not what you want," He said sadly.

Gibbs turned him round and pulled him into a hug, "My brother, I have a brother." He smiled. "Why didn't you just come and tell me?" he asked.

"I was scared," Jimmy admitted. "I wasn't stalking you or anything; I didn't even know you worked there until I met you in autopsy. Dad said you were a marine."

"I was last time I saw him." His face suddenly fell, "He's just had a heart attack, come on." Gibbs said pulling Jimmy by the elbow.

"NO!" Jimmy pulled back, "The last person he will want to see is me," he insisted.

"What, he'll need us both there, sure we haven't talked for a while, but now we are all together and he's a captive audience….." He trailed off and stared at him.

Gibbs walked off with his new 'little' brother trailing behind him, because brother or no, no one sane ever defied Gibbs.

* * *

Jackson sat up weakly and listened as Ducky explained that he had just had an angina attack brought on by stress and he needed to rest and stay calm.

"Hey dad." Gibbs said as he stuck his head round the door.

Jackson smiled as he saw his son, "Leroy, how are you feeling son?"

"I'm fine dad, how are you?" He asked concerned.

"I have angina, gotta relax for a while." He said, "Can I stay with you for a while?"

"I think that would be a good idea, after all, all three of us need to catch up." Gibbs said.

Jackson looked intrigued, "You have a girlfriend Leroy?" He asked.

"No but I apparently I do have a brother you forgot to tell me about."

Jackson scowled, "I don't wanna talk about it,"

Around the corner, Jimmy hung his head. "Jimmy is staying with me Dad, if you wanna stay with me you'd better suck it up and get along."

"Leroy!" Jackson was shocked at his sons tone.

"Dad! I have a brother you neglected to tell me about and from what I heard you have been riding him harder than you ever rode me as a child. I'll be back to pick you up in the morning Dad, and when I get you home all three of us are gonna have a talk."

Gibbs stormed out of the room as Jimmy was trying to talk his way past Tony to leave.

"Tony, I have to go now before the shelters close for tonight's intake." He argued.

"Sorry Jimmy, Boss told me to keep you here," Tony, told him.

"He can't do that, where am I going to stay?" Jimmy protested.

"With me." Gibbs said. "Come on little brother time to come home."

Jimmy looked frightened and then resigned. He nodded and followed Gibbs to his car, not looking forward to the confrontation he was sure was coming.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Jimmy walked in behind Gibbs and placed his bags on the floor near the door.

"You wanna coffee?" Gibbs asked and walked into the kitchen.

"Thanks." Jimmy replied. "Black please."

Gibbs smiled, "Is there any other way," He quipped and handed Jimmy the mug.

Jimmy sat at the table staring at the mug, not sure what to say or how to act.

"OK James." Gibbs said, "Sorry Jimmy." He changed quickly as Jimmy flinched. "Tell me about yourself."

"I….er…Gibbs?" Jimmy was stumped, he had never had to tell anyone about himself before and the last thing he wanted was to say the wrong thing and upset Gibbs or alienate his father further by saying something that he knew his father would hold against him.

Gibbs could see his little brother was uncomfortable, but then again was there any easy way to do this?

"Tony said you were planning on staying in a shelter again tonight, so you didn't stay with Ducky last night?" He asked.

"I don't take charity." Jimmy snapped.

Gibbs suppressed a small smile; in that one sentence, he could see their father's stubbornness and pride.

"How often have you done that then?" He asked.

Jimmy stared at his mug, "Apart from when Mac rented his basement? Pretty much non stop since I was seventeen and I ran away." He admitted.

"Why did you run away?" Gibbs asked, He knew his father could be gruff, and yes, he himself had left home as soon as he could to join the marines, but he never would have run away and lived on the streets.

"I wanted to be a doctor." Jimmy said still staring at his mug and not meeting Gibbs' eyes.

Gibbs did not get it, "OK, so why run away? Dad must have been pleased if you got into medical school, I mean it ain't cheap so he must have paid for that?"

Jimmy looked up and Gibbs was nearly blown away by the amount of pain and sorrow he saw in his brother's face.

"He wouldn't pay for it, he wanted me to run the store, fulfill my worth, and I was never as good as you. Wanting to go to medical school and be a doctor was silly 'coz I was never going to be as good as you Leroy. He didn't want to waste his money."

He sniffed and wiped his eyes and his face went hard.

"Do you know how hard it is growing up all your life to hear about the wonderful big brother you had who was always better at you at everything he did and how it was my fault that you and he didn't talk if I hadn't been born you two would have made up. He said….he said you hated me, I wasn't good enough to be your brother and the only reason I lived with him was that my mom was too stupid to raise me herself." He was openly sobbing and Gibbs moved next to him and placed a comforting arm around his shoulders.

"I don't hate you Jimmy, until today I never knew you existed." He explained. He guided him from the table to the sofa, "Tell me about your mother?" he asked trying to get to the bottom of his fathers strange behavior"

Jimmy smiled, "Her name is Eunice Palmer. Dad would not marry her after she got pregnant with me, he said she was crazy and had trapped him. She is beautiful," Jimmy looked up his face full of love for his mother, "She lives in Orangeville. She's a waitress in the diner, she worked 12 hour shifts and sent me money to help with medical school and she never told dad where I was." He told his brother proudly, "Even when he threatened her that he was going to find me and drag me back she never told."

Gibbs took a deep breath, he knew his father was a grouchy man, but he had always been fair. To think of him threatening anyone was against everything he knew about his father, but he did not want to call Jimmy a liar and risk alienating his brother, just after having found him.

Gibbs showed Jimmy to his spare room, "You sleep, we'll talk more in the morning." He said and closed the door on his brother. He walked down the hall and opened his cell phone, "Abby, can you find out all the information you can on Eunice Palmer from Orangeville. Yes Abs, its Jimmy's mother…..No, Abs. He's fine…Abs, I will explain everything later, just get me that information please?" he asked and hung up with a smile on his face.

* * *

An hour later, earlier than Gibbs had expected he heard a car door slam and Abby's heavy boots stomp up to his porch.

"In here Abs," Gibbs called from the kitchen.

Abby walked in and hugged Gibbs, "This is totally messed up; I looked up Palmers' school records, and any other information as well as his mother's information."

"Wotcha got?" Gibbs asked.

Abby lay the file on the kitchen table and looked at it like it might bite her.

"She is Jimmy's mother; he was born nine months after Shannon and Kelly's funeral.

Jackson petitioned for custody of Jimmy when he was eleven, child services contacted him as Eunice was suffering from postpartum depression and Jimmy was running wild." She told him. "After living with your father Jimmy settled down in school but became withdrawn, he didn't have any friends Gibbs, he only talked to his teachers and only about his school work. He was not in any after school clubs. Apart from his grade their really isn't much on him." She said, "He graduated 4th in his class and won a scholarship to med school in the name of Palmer. Jackson reported him missing three days later."

Gibbs read the file, there were small notations from Ed the Sheriff that a few times Jimmy had been picked up for minor misdemeanors usually fighting and a few for criminal damage at the store. Also at the back were small notes that before the Criminal damage pick ups neighbors had heard shouting from the store and Jimmy had a black eye or bloodied nose.

Gibbs suppressed a shudder, this was his father, and he had never been like this to him, why on earth would he behave like this to his brother. Sure, his father was strict, but he had always been fair and  **never** abusive.

Gibbs thanked Abby and she left. He settled down the read the rest of the file and fell into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

He woke four hours later to a crash upstairs, "No! Dad! I'm sorry, I'll leave…." Jimmy called out in his sleep.

Jimmy woke fast and shot up out of bed.

"Where's the fire?" Gibbs asked

"I….I'm sorry Le…Gibbs…Sir?" Jimmy stuttered.

Gibbs patted the bed as Jimmy sat down, "I think you'd better call me Jethro," He smiled, "its ok to have a nightmare….do you wanna talk about it?" He asked.

Jimmy shook his head, "it was nothing important….don't even remember it." He lied.

"I read your file; you and Dad don't get on so well?" Gibbs asked

Jimmy let out a slight sad chuckle, "That's the understatement of the century," he replied. "He hates me, I'm not you." He said simply.

"You getting a few more hours sleep?" Gibbs asked.

Jimmy nodded "Nah, I'm already awake and I have a midterm due soon." He sat up and pulled out his books."

"Jimmy, can I ask, how did you manage to keep your scholarship while you have been homeless?"

"I have a friend, Steve Jackson, he's been letting me crash at his when his roommate isn't there and let's me use his address for mailing."

"That's nice of him," Gibbs said.

Jimmy face broke into a smile, "yeah he had a abusive father too….I mean…." He broke off, "I'm sorry Gibbs…I didn't mean to say that about your dad, look, maybe it's best if I leave."

"Jimmy Palmer, you are my little brother and you are not going anywhere. Got it."

"Yes Boss….Jethro?" Jimmy raised his eyebrows hopefully not wanting to antagonize his new brother. "Jethro, I do want this to work. But what if Dad forbids it."

"Why in the hell would he?" Gibbs asked

"Because when I was 15 and wanted to find you he forbade me then," Jimmy explained.

* * *

An out of breath 15 year old James Gibbs came running up the fronting outside the store, he screeched to a halt and slowed himself down as he entered.

"Dad?" he called as he walked in,

"I'm with a customer James," His father replied, Jimmy winced he knew his father hated to be interrupted but he could barely contain his excitement. Jackson Gibbs glared at his youngest son who sat at the table in the store waiting for the customer to leave.

"Alright James, what's wrong?" Jackson asked.

"We had a man at the school today, He was a marine recruiter, and he says he can help me find Leroy…" James said so fast the words seemed to blur into one.

"NO." Jackson said.

"But…I wanna meet him, he's my brother." Jimmy begged.

"You. Will. NOT. Look for Leroy. If he wants to contact me, he will. He does not need to know about you. I forbid you to look for him."

Jimmy looked stricken, "But…If he knew about me….." He started.

"Yes, that's right thinking about yourself again, you're just like your mother. Selfish. Find my son, change his mind about me tell him about the mistake I made." Jackson raged.

"Mistake?" Jimmy said confused.

"You!" Jackson said and stormed off into the back room leaving his youngest son sitting at the table shattered.

Jackson sat in the back room berating himself, He knew the boy did not deserve it and the look on his face had hurt him too. But he was a stubborn man, It was bad enough he had had a child out of wedlock with a woman over half his age, but to tell his son, his Leroy that his father had done all of this and conceived this child on the very day his son had buried his wife and child… Leroy would never forgive him. He had done the decent thing and taken the boy in when child services wanted to put him into care, but every time he looked at his face he could see the evidence of his mistake and he felt like he was being physically slapped.

No better to stand his ground and keep his pride intact.

 


	5. Chapter 5

Jimmy had dozed off again and Gibbs had laid him down on the couch and draped a blanket over him as his phone buzzed.

"Gibbs." He said and listened to the voice on the other end. "Right I'm on my way." He said and closed the phone.

"Case?" Jimmy asked half asleep.

"Nope you sleep, just gotta pick something up." Gibbs said Jimmy groaned and turned over and Gibbs let a small smile escape as he walked out the door. Even though he had only known Jimmy was his brother for two days he was already fiercely protective of him and proud of the man he was.

He pulled up outside the hospital and stood leaning on the hood of the car as Jackson walked out of the hospital.

"And where do you think you're going?" He asked his father.

Jackson looked at his son and shook his head, "Home, got a store to run Leroy." He snapped.

"Your doctor didn't discharge you, you signed out and they want you back for tests later this week you're staying with me." Gibbs told him.

"Fine." Jackson said and begrudgingly got into the car.

Half an hour later they pulled up outside Gibbs' house, as they entered Gibbs was worried for a second as Jimmy wasn't on the sofa any more until he heard movement in his kitchen.

"Sit down dad." Gibbs said

"Jethro? I made coffee you want some?" Jimmy's voice came from the kitchen

Jackson got up but Gibbs stared him down, "Sit there," He said quietly. "Yeah Thanks Jimmy." He called back.

"His name is James." Jackson growled. "And I ain't staying here if he is, I'll get a motel room."

"Coffee." Jimmy said entering the room smiling until he saw Jackson. "I…Oh," He said his face falling. "I'll get my stuff." He said and turned to go.

* * *

"ENOUGH!" Gibbs shouted. "This is my house you will both stay and we will get through this." He ordered.

Jimmy sat at the kitchen table and looked through to where Jackson was sitting on the couch. He grasped the coffee mug he was holding and stared intently at the contents.

"Dad, I want to know why you didn't tell me I had a brother." Gibbs asked.

"Weren't none of your business." Jackson said under his breath.

"Having a little brother  **is**  my business dad." Gibbs snapped back

"It's my mistake, not your problem." Jackson said stubborn as ever and refusing to capitulate to anything Jethro was offering.

"Jimmy is not a mistake, He is your son. God, Dad! You were honest but fair with me as a parent, what did Jimmy do that he didn't get any of your love.!" Gibbs was beside himself, having lost a child he knew how precious every child was, the fact that his own father could treat his brother as a non-entity infuriated him.

"How dare you call me a bad parent?" Jackson said,

"Very easily," Gibbs snapped. "He's so sacred of you he won't even look in your direction, I lost my child but while she was alive I told her every day that I loved her. Have you ever told Jimmy?"

"No," Jackson admitted, "I was too caught up in the fact I had made a mistake and slept with his mother on the night you buried your girls. You would not talk to me and Eunice was kind enough to go to the funeral and support me. You looked at me as if I had betrayed you, but I needed that support. I needed you to let me in, I was grieving too!" he sighed as he remembered that night.

"I went home from the funeral with Eunice; she sat as I cried for your girls alone. I may be your father, but I am also a man, I needed comfort and she was there. I had not intended on sleeping with the woman and it certainly did not mean to taint the girls' memories. Then to find out she was pregnant…" Jackson trailed off.

"You know he was a tiny thing when he was born," Jackson smiled to himself. "He was early 5lb 10oz, really scrawny like a little runt."

Jimmy flinched remembering the nickname his father used to call him, in fact when he had started school he told everyone his name was little runt, even though his mother had told him it was Jimmy countless times, it had been one of his first attempts to please his father.

"I did tell you about him I sent you a letter, you never answered and stopped returning my calls. I figured you blamed me for having him." Jackson said.

"I was grieving; I never got your letter." Gibbs admitted. "But even that was no excuse for the way you brought him up, you never held him or spent time with him or just told him you loved him. That's just wrong; no kid needs to be brought up knowing his father doesn't love him." He snapped at his dad.

"But I do love him….I just was too ashamed to tell him."

"You do?" Jimmy said so quietly that Gibbs almost missed it.

"Do ya here that dad, he didn't know." He admonished his father, "You always encouraged me growing up and I became the man I was because of you. How does it feel to know that Jimmy became the man he is in spite of you."

"I was pushing him to do better." Jackson replied.

"Come on, I read the reports on Jimmy's childhood, you gave him a place to sleep. That is about it. He kept trying in school and got straight A's, and yet he learned to hate me because of you. He worked through medical school himself, he has been sleeping in shelters and with friends since he was 17. You would have been horrified if that had been me…He's your son too!"

Jackson sat there listening to all that Gibbs said. He realized that his eldest son was right and for the first time really looked at his youngest son. He remembered all the times Jimmy had come to him with hope in his eyes only to see him dash any hopes he had.

"Oh my God, What have I done." Jackson said looking at Jimmy who still refused to look at him. "I've been a stubborn fool, I didn't realize, I was hurting so bad that I had completely closed myself off."

He got up and walked across the room.

"James." He said and put his hand on his youngest son's shoulder.

Jimmy instinctively yelped and tried to move away. Jackson sat down and looked him in the eye.

"Jimmy." He said quietly.

To hear his father talk softly without malice to him made Jimmy look up surprised and then just as quickly dropped his eyes again.

"I'm sorry son, I should have seen what a remarkable young man you are, yes having you was a mistake, but it was mine and I don't regret having you. I just hope one day you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

Jimmy looked up his eyes full of tears….."NO." He said and ran out of the room.

* * *

Gibbs got up and followed Jimmy, "Stay there." He growled to his father as he walked past.

Jimmy was sitting on the back porch staring out at the back yard.

Gibbs sat next to him and waited.

"I'm sorry Jethro," Jimmy said.

"Not planning on leaving again are ya?" Gibbs asked with a slight smile. "You can't keep running away from this."

"Worked so far." Jimmy replied with a sad smile.

"Please, he's admitted he's done wrong, listen to him." Gibbs asked.

"But…what if …" Jimmy didn't want to voice his concerns, the fact that more than anything he'd wanted his dad to say he loved him, but he couldn't allow himself to get hurt by the man again. He had promised himself he would not.

"What?" Gibbs asked.

"I can't do it, not again. I have tried all my life to make him proud of me, to hear him just once say I love you son. To get him to look at me like I was as worthy to be his son as you are." Jimmy looked away from him as the tears he had held back for years started to fall. "What if he changes his mind, I can't finally get that and then go back to how it was before."

"I am proud of you and I do love you, I kept every piece of schoolwork, every picture and achievement award you ever did. I was just too stubborn to tell you." Jackson said from behind him. "I can't promise I'll never get it wrong again, but I want to try to be the father you deserve, if you'll let me."

Jimmy glanced up at his father and saw the truth of his words. He nodded his throat to constricted for anything else to escape.

"Come on little brother, come inside." Gibbs said and gently led them both inside.

 


	6. Chapter 6

Jimmy sat at the table whilst Jackson made Jethro and Jimmy pancakes, Jethro sat with his coffee reading the paper relaxing while Jimmy drank his coffee glancing at both of them.

Gibbs could feel the anxiety coming off Jimmy, but was proud of the way he was trying to hide it so he could at least try to mend the gap between him and his father.

Jimmy reached into his bag and slipped a medical book out onto the table, glancing in his fathers direction to see if he had noticed and realizing he hadn't he slowly opened it and started reading, he had an exam the next day and knew it was really important that he got the study time in.

Jackson put the plates and a stack of pancakes on the table.

"Here you go boys." He said.

Gibbs looked up grinned and grabbed a couple of pancakes. "Mm. Nice dad, thanks." He said.

Jackson looked over at his youngest, just as he remembered; Jimmy had his head in a book. He pushed down the wave of anger at his son ignoring him, knowing that was the wrong course of action to take if he wanted to repair his relationship with his son.

He coughed quietly trying to get his attention, "Jimmy your pancakes," He said. Jimmy still engrossed didn't answer.

Gibbs raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything he wanted to see how his father handled it and what Jimmy's reaction would be.

"JAMES!" Jackson raised his voice and slammed his hand down on the table, "Put that damn book down and eat!" he snapped.

Jimmy jumped and swiped the book into the bag, "Sorry Sir." He said automatically. He didn't look at his father but grabbed the plate wolfed down the pancakes and quickly cleared the table without even thinking.

He washed up the plates and grabbed his bag. "Gotta go to work." He mumbled and headed for the door.

"Dad!" Gibbs said and walked up to Jimmy, "No you don't you've been given the next two days off."

"But…." Jimmy floundered. "I have an exam; I should get to the library to study. You and Jack…err, Dad need some time alone."

"No, I do know you need time to study, and you'll have it I promise, I'll even take you to your exam myself. But I don't want you leaving here upset." Gibbs said.

"I tried Jethro; I'm not good enough I couldn't even make it through our first meal without messing up." Jimmy said staring at the floor.

"Ya didn't mess up Jam...Jimmy I did," Jackson said, "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that, I thought you were ignoring me,"

"I didn't mean to Sir, I was trying to study for my exam."

Jackson sat on the sofa, "So tell me about your medical school how's it going."

* * *

Jimmy sat down and slowly started to tell his dad about medical school, how he had passed a scholarship exam to get in, what his classes were like, the fact he was top of his class with a 4.0 GPA and how he loved working with Dr. Mallard. He had started hesitantly at first and got more and more animated as he went on.

Jackson listened to all the information in awe, his youngest son was a lot brighter than he'd ever given him credit for. As Jimmy, talked Jackson replayed some of the conversations he'd had with his youngest son over the years, remembering how James had come in excited by something at school and Jackson had systematically managed to crush his dreams.

The happier Jimmy got the sadder Jackson's face became until Jimmy looked up and stopped talking.

"I'm sorry, I must be boring you." Jimmy said.

"Jimmy no, in fact you have made me very proud, considering all the times I have crushed your dreams or put obstacles in the way of everything you wanted and yet in spite of me you have become this accomplished man."

Jimmy grinned, "Really, you're proud of me?"

"Yeah, my stupid pride got in the way, I never told you and I should have. Can you forgive me?" He asked.

"I'd like to try." Jimmy said. His phone beeped and he looked at it. "Jethro, do you have an internet connection I can use?" He asked.

"Yes actually, I had it put in a few months ago." Jethro smirked he knew his reputation for being a bit archaic when it came to technology would go down the pan when the others found out.

"Great." He got his laptop out of his bag, "I need to email my mom, and she'll be waiting for me."

Jackson bristled but didn't say anything.

"Tell her I said hi?" Gibbs said.

"Will do" Jimmy smiled as he sent his mom his 'hi I'm online' email.

* * *

Half an hour later, scowling Jimmy came off the computer.

"Are you ok?" Gibbs asked concerned.

"No, Mom went ballistic that I was staying here with dad, she told me not to email her again until he had gone and that she wasn't gonna pick up the pieces again."

"Oh Jimmy," Jethro tried to console his brother.

"I wish I knew what the problem was between them, and why it's my fault for loving either of them!" Jimmy said sinking onto the chair with his head in his hands.

Jimmy sighed he really loved both his parents despite being afraid of his father all he had ever wanted was to have a real family, both his parents getting on and not having to fight with each other, although he knew his mom could go into Jackson's store without any argument as long as they didn't talk about him.

Jimmy turned to his father, "What did I do? What was so wrong that both of you hate me and hate talking to each other about me!"

Jackson sat across the table from his youngest son, "Your mother neglected you as much as I did, but in a different way, she was punished for it and I was not. Not legally anyway and she's always hated me for it."

Jimmy looked up defiantly "My mother loved me she told me that you called child services on her."

"No son, you were found walking to Stillwater from your mothers by the sheriff, you only had pants and a t-shirt on and it was December, you were ten. When the sheriff got to your momma's she was…." Jackson stopped.

"I know what she was," Jimmy snapped, "It was an accident she didn't mean to take that many pills, she'd been working and she got confused, you could have helped her. You could have married her. You made my life hell. Telling me I was just like her."

"I know I'm sorry," Jackson said. "But you should know neither one of us hated you, we hated each other, she hated me for not marrying her and for putting my grieving for Shannon and Kelly ahead of my feelings for her."

Jimmy looked confused, "Who are Shannon and Kelly another girlfriend and daughter?" He asked.

"My wife and daughter," Jethro said "They died while I was on active duty, I backed away from Dad and anyone who tried to comfort me, I was mad at dad as he brought a date to their funeral."

"That was Eunice, she was helping me keep it together, she didn't deserve what I did to her but when you wouldn't talk to me Leroy, I went home with her I cried and talked and….well….James, and you were conceived that night. I thought you would figure it out Leroy, I thought that was why you wouldn't talk to me." Jackson said. "And that's why I got angry, angry with myself for what I had done and every time I looked at you I was reminded of my folly and in my anger forgot that you were just a boy and that you didn't ask to be born and was not responsible for any of this"

"Do you think you and mom will ever be civil to each other?" Jimmy asked.

"I think we are as civil as we are gonna get son, I talk to her and I serve her in my store, but until she understands that her treatment of you as a child was not my fault I believe we are as close as we are ever going to get."

"Did you love her?" Jimmy asked quietly.

"James, Anne, Leroy's mother was and always will be the great love of my life, but Eunice… yes for a while I loved her. I loved her beauty, her eyes, which you have. I loved her empathy and compassion. I hurt when I saw what she had become and wished I had helped her more."

"What did she become?" Gibbs asked confused at being out of the loop.

"My mother is a recovering drug addict." Jimmy said quietly "She was addicted to anti depressants and painkillers. But she's got help over the last few years and is now 18 months clean."

Gibbs saw the hurt and disappointment Jimmy had stored there. "If she hadn't been maybe my life would have been different, Listen Jethro. I need to study for this exam just please can we get back to this later if we must."

Gibbs nodded, "Ok Exam first talk later, and just so you know after your exam, it's back to work. Ducky's order." He grinned.

* * *

Eunice Palmer looked at the screen with the same scowl on her face her son had in Alexandria.

"There is no way I'm letting that man, turn my son against me again." She said.

"You ok Hun?" The man sitting next to her said.

"No, Jackson's got his hooks into my Jimmy again… He's my son not his." She stood up, walked into her bedroom, and grabbed a bag.

"You needing a little summit to go with." The man slurred while taking a draw on his marijuana cigarette.

She smiled at him, "No Bruce I'm clean."

"You weren't yesterday, here…" He threw her a small packet, "Just in case."

"That's why I love you, you always think of me." She popped it in her bag and carried on packing.

I'm coming for you son. She thought as she walked out of her front door.

 


	7. Chapter 7

Two weeks after his practice exam, Jimmy was ready for the real thing. He was still staying with Gibbs and his father was staying as well. He had not talked to his mother in the two weeks since they had emailed each other, but for Jimmy things were going great.

Jimmy walked out of his exam feeling good. He had found the questions easy to follow and knew that he had done well in this one.

He arrived at work and hung up his coat as he entered Autopsy.

"Mr. Palmer?" Ducky called as he was in the back room.

"Afternoon Dr, Mallard." Jimmy replied smiling.

"You look happy Mr. Palmer, I take it things are going well." Ducky asked smiling

"Yeah, Jethro's helping Dad and I get along and I think I aced my midterm," Jimmy grinned, "Right now things are awesome."

Ducky was pleased for his protégé, having learned about Jimmy's upbringing he was glad that the young man had now found some semblance of peace.

Gibbs walked in with Coffee and a bagel in a bag, "Well how did it go?" he asked Jimmy.

"I think I aced it, I knew all the answers and I think I included everything." Jimmy replied smiling.

"Good." Gibbs replied setting the food and drink down on an empty autopsy slab, "Eat." He said.

Jimmy looked in the bag and smiled, "Wow my favorite, how did you know?" He asked.

"I asked dad, turns out he paid more attention than you thought over the years." Gibbs told him. He stopped as his phone rang. "Gibbs…OK on my way." He said and closed up his phone.

"Got a dead sailor at a crack house in Deantown." Gibbs said, "Meet ya there." He walked out to grab his team.

* * *

Team Gibbs beat Jimmy and Ducky there by about five minutes.

"Ok what have we got?" Gibbs asked.

"Petty officer Andrew Janes, 34. A blow to the head killed him, he had a woman with him she was hit as well, the paramedics are trying to treat her but she is being uncooperative. Paramedics think she is high on crack; we are waiting for her to come down before we question her."

"Name?" Gibbs asked DiNozzo,

"She won't give one boss; just keeps saying she's here to save her son and we can't hold her, she's a real handful."

"Ok McGee pictures, you and Kate bag and tag," Gibbs said with a nod to Palmer and Ducky as they arrived.

They walked over to the body of the petty office, Palmer on the left hand side noticed something, "Doctor, I think the petty officer was using drugs," He said noticing the track marks on his arms.

"We have a witness Doc, Paramedics are seeing to her." Gibbs said and pointed in the direction of the ambulance.

"LET ME GO!" The woman screamed from the back of the ambulance, "Get off me!"

* * *

Gibbs and DiNozzo stopped what they were doing and took off at a run as the saw Jimmy go white and drop his bag and run for the ambulance.

They arrived at the same time Jimmy grabbed the paramedic and pulled him off the woman who was cowered in a corner.

"Get the hell off her!" He growled. Kneeling down in front of the woman, he gathered her in his arms, "its ok I'm here now." He said. "Have you been using again?" He asked gently.

The woman nodded, tears streaming down her face, "I'm sorry honey."

"You know her Palmer?" Gibbs asked.

Jimmy looked up at his brother looking guiltier as he held the forty six year old blonde woman in his arms. "Yeah."

Gibbs waited hoping Jimmy would elaborate but he turned and pulled up her sleeves.

"How long have you been using again?" He asked.

"Two weeks. I'm so sorry I couldn't help it, it was the only way I could cope with him being snarky at me and Bruce pushing me to use. I came to save you, but I couldn't find your address and I got lost and met this nice sailor who knew what NCIS was and where to find you…..He's dead Jimmy!" she cried.

"Don't say anything else, you have to go with this Agent Gibbs and DiNozzo, you need to tell them the truth."

"Gibbs?" She started looking scared and backing away, "No!"

"MA!" Jimmy yelled getting her attention back.

"Ma?" Tony said in shock, "She's your mom; she's only a bit older than me,"

Jimmy sent Tony a Gibbs glare, Tony took a step back "Definitely your brother, boss" he quipped and got a headslap for his trouble.

"Mom, it's Jethro, he's an NCIS agent, and they just need to rule you out of the petty officers death, that's all, please go with him." Jimmy begged.

"Don't leave me again." Eunice pleaded holding onto her son's hand.

"Mom, I have to I have to do my job." Jimmy said he extracted his hand from his mom's and stepped out of the ambulance. Out of sight around the corner, he bent over put his hands on his knees and started to hyperventilate.

* * *

Gibbs was there in seconds, "You ok Jimmy?" He asked.

Jimmy looked very distraught "She told me she was clean, she promised! Then for you all to meet her like this!"

"We don't think any less of you because of your mother Jimmy, I mean look at DiNozzo's dad, or Ziva's dad."

"Neither of which are drug addicts!" Jimmy moaned.

"No one's a neglectful drunk and the other is an assassin and head of Mossad. No one's parents are perfect." Gibbs told his brother, "I've sent Tim and Tony back with your mother, she should be calmer without me there, and Tony will interview her."

"What if she killed the petty officer?" Jimmy asked fear bubbling up inside him.

"Do you think she's capable of murder?" Gibbs asked him.

Jimmy looked his brother in the face looking sadder than he had seen in months, "Yes." He said simply. He did not want to believe it, but over the years even though he had built the image of a perfect mother in his mind, he knew that when she was using all bets were off.

"She was really young when she had me and with her and dad fighting and her bringing me up alone it was hard. When she was not using and was working she was an awesome mom, we went on picnics she would go to my school plays, we would spend a lot of time outdoors, she was a really nature child. When you see her, you all see the suspect drug addict, I see the mom who taught me to fish and climb trees and had picnics with me, the mom who….who told me I was special." He said

Gibbs put Jimmy in the back of his car and informed Ducky of what had happened.

"Poor Mr. Palmer, I will escort the body back, perhaps young Ziva can accompany me." Ducky said and Gibbs consented.

 


	8. Chapter 8

Eunice Palmer sat in interrogation, fidgeting, rubbing her hands up and down her arms and looking nervous.

"Where's Jimmy? I want my boy!" she shouted to the mirror hoping someone was on the other side.

"I need to get out of here… Leroy? I know you're there! Jackson making you keep me in here? I always knew he hated me! Jimmy...Let me out!" she got up and started banging her fists on the mirror.

Tony opened the door and walked in.

"Ms. Palmer, Sit down." Tony waited and gently guided her to a seat.

"I didn't do it….I don't think I did?" Eunice said her thoughts all over the place.

"Please sit." Tony pulled her chair and Eunice sank into it.

"Tell me what happened." Tony prompted.

"I got here yesterday morning, I had left right after Jimmy's email…I had to come, Jack will hurt him again, I couldn't let him hurt my boy again…Jimmy's made it out from under his father….."

"Please just stick to what happened after you got to Washington." Tony asked.

"I…I got off the bus at the main terminal and I realized I didn't even know where Leroy lived, all Jimmy had said was that he was staying with his brother. I knew that he worked at NCIS so I asked around. Do you know not many people have heard of NCIS?" She fidgeted again pulling at her sleeves and looking at the door, "Can I have a drink or maybe a break; I just need a minute maybe the bathroom? But I'll need my purse." She said.

"Sure." Tony handed her the small purse and she looked through it her eyes getting wider.

"You stole it…you took my stash!" she panicked.

"Ms. Palmer…we are in a federal building did you think you'd get in with it. Besides," Tony lowered his voice, "I think Jimmy would prefer you without it, he's my friend and I think that he's been hurt enough…Don't you?"

She lowered her eyes and started crying.

Tony handed her a handkerchief.

"Sorry," She composed herself again. "I met the sailor guy at the station, he knew NCIS and where you were but it was getting late and he offered me a place to stay, I needed the money and he had stuff." She looked at the floor.

"Are you saying you prostituted yourself for drugs and money and Petty officer Andrew Janes paid you?"

"Yes." She whispered.

On the other side of the glass, Jimmy stood quietly with tears rolling down his face.

"So do you know how Petty Officer Janes ended up dead?"

"No, I remember he…He attacked me he gave me crack and when I wouldn't sleep with him…he hit me."

"Did you hit him back?" Tony prodded.

"NO!" Eunice protested.

* * *

Jimmy left he knew he was needed with the petty officers body. Although he wanted to watch over his mother, he knew that as Tony was the one interrogating her she would be ok.

"Sorry Dr. Mallard I was detained." Jimmy said walking into Autopsy.

"Nonsense my boy, I expected you to be with your mother." Ducky said concerned at the worry etched on Jimmy's face.

"I couldn't listen anymore." Jimmy admitted.

"You poor boy, I suppose to find your mother in that situation…" Ducky started.

Jimmy turned "Ain't the first time," He muttered hoping Ducky couldn't hear him, "Do you want me to start on the inventory?" He asked louder.

Ducky nodded, filing the comment and his reply away for later, "No I have received the toxicology reports on our young friend here and if your mother took the same thing she will need hospital treatment I have called the paramedics and they are on their way. You will be needed to help with your mother if necessary, I'll be up with Jethro, and he hasn't come down for my report yet." He said and left the room.

* * *

Jethro walked into Director Sheppard's office and sank down on the couch.

"Tough few days Jethro?" Jen smirked.

"Jen you have no idea," Gibbs said. "I just found out Palmer is my little brother, my dad's had a heart scare and is stay at my place with Jimmy and me and Jimmy's mom was just found with the body of a petty officer. On top of that and training your new Mossad liaison officer, it's getting a bit frantic around here."

"Wow Palmers' your brother, when were you going to tell me?" Jen said

"I just did Jen." Gibbs replied.

"OK, at least you are not in the same department, but we will have to let HR know." She said, "How is Ziva working out on your team?"

"It's ok for now, Kate likes working with her, Tony's….well he's still Tony and McGee and Abby are slightly afraid of her, but I can see them all getting along eventually." He grinned at her, "But you knew that already didn't you."

She smiled back, "Yes Jethro, now you said your father is in town, maybe I could meet him, and he must be pleased that you and Jimmy are together."

"It was a less than stellar surprise, but they are getting on now." Gibbs said and explained to Jenny what had happened.

* * *

As he left Jenny's office, he headed down to the bullpen to find Ducky sitting at his desk.

"Not busy Duck?" he asked.

"I have completed my Autopsy Jethro and as you hadn't been down for my findings I thought I would bring them up to you." Ducky told his friend.

"Okay, whaddya got Duck?" Gibbs asked.

"Petty Officer Andrew Janes was a new user of Crack Cocaine and according to the toxicology I had Abigail run the first batch was cut with scouring powder, which as you know is caustic and caused his body to shut down. However, this was not what killed him. He died by a blow on the back of the head possibly caused by a piece of wood."

"Do you think Palmer's mother could've killed him?" Gibbs asked.

"No, she is suffering from the same symptoms the petty officer would have suffered from when taking that cocktail, I have called the paramedics and have informed Jimmy so he can be there for her, but when she first took that cocktail it would have rendered her unconscious at the time of death."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Happy New Year guys! Sorry for the delay in posting and thank you for all your reviews.
> 
> (OK who spotted the deliberate mistake in the last chapter which prompted me to shift my story a little...remember this is AU so Kate didn't die and Jenny is the Director.)
> 
> Disclaimer it's not mine, all except for Petty officer Andrew Janes I OWN HIS ASS! and he knows it ;) (See Probie this is what you get for annoying me!)


	9. Chapter 9

Jimmy, for the second time in a month sat in a hospital waiting room. His mother was finally being treated and he was waiting for the doctor to come out and update him on her condition.

He pulled his textbooks out of his bag, curled up on the couch in the corner of the waiting room, and started reading.

Tony and Gibbs pulled up at the same time outside the hospital.

"You ok?" Gibbs asked worried seeing his SFA outside the building.

"Yeah I'm here for Jimmy, You?" Tony asked

"Same reason." Gibbs replied with a wry smile.

They walked in and found Jimmy had fallen asleep with his head in the textbook. Gibbs sent Tony off for coffee and swapped Jimmy's textbook for a cushion and put his coat over his little brother as a blanket.

Tony walked back in with coffee and sandwiches, "Any news Boss?" He asked.

Gibbs shook his head, "I'll wake him when the doctor comes in until then, let him sleep."

* * *

Tony nodded and sat in one of the others chairs in the room. "Have you called your dad; he may want the chance to be there for Jimmy." Tony said hoping that Jackson would follow through on the offer. He hated seeing his friends hurting and in the last few weeks, Jimmy had been through more than his fair share.

"No but I should, he'll be wondering where we are." Gibbs walked out to make his phone call.

He came back in just as a doctor walked into the waiting room, "James Palmer?" He said to the three men in the room,

Gibbs reached down and shook Jimmy handing him his glasses, "Jimmy the doctor's here."

Jimmy shot upright "Doctor how is she?"

The doctor looked at the youngest of the three men with sympathy, "Ms Palmer is going to be ok. She had some deep tissue bruising on her body and the narcotic in her system was quick flushed to enable us to get the poison cleared. We had some trouble with collapsing veins which were due to her past experiences of drug abuse, we have a rehab center that will take her in about a week if you're willing to sign her up." He said looking at Jimmy.

"No Doc, its fine I can help her with this," Jimmy quickly replied.

Gibbs and Tony looked at jimmy, "Can we have a sec doc?" Gibbs asked.

The doctor nodded and walked over to the nurses' station.

"Why won't you put your mom in rehab?" Tony asked

"She doesn't need it." Jimmy said a little too quickly.

"Ya know Jimmy, when we interrogate people and they answer like that we usually think they're guilty." Gibbs said putting a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Look she's my mother I know how to handle this, she's my responsibility." Jimmy said backing away.

Jimmy walked up to the Doctor, "When do you think my mother will be awake?" He asked ignoring the other two men.

"We will be keeping her sedated for another 24 hours." The doctor said.

"Thanks." Jimmy replied and walked out of the building.

* * *

Gibbs went to pick up Jimmy's books.

"What do you think that was all about boss?" Tony asked.

"I don't know Tony but I'm going to find out." Gibbs said.

Gibbs left the hospital but Tony told him he would stay in case there was any change.

Jimmy made it back to Gibbs' house and ran in the front door.

"Hey where's the fire son?" Jackson asked as his youngest came in.

"I…." Jimmy said lost for words.

"James? What's happened is Leroy ok?" he asked afraid.

Jimmy stepped back, "Bloody Leroy is fine." He snapped and ran to the corner and grabbed his stuff, "I have to go. Mom needs me."

Jackson looked worried, "What's happened? Please James talk to me."

Jimmy grabbed his few remaining bits and threw them in the bag, "Mom's sick."

Jackson looked at his son and remembered the last time he had come running in the shop in this state and said his mom was sick.

"She using again, son?" He asked gently.

"It's not her fault!" Jimmy said.

"It's not yours either, she needs to deal with this." Jackson said.

"If she hadn't been coming here because I was talking to you she would have still been clean." Jimmy argued,

"NO. You know that's not true, the best thing you can do for her is to leave here where she is." Jackson said.

"She'll die if I leave her there." Jimmy said.

Jackson looked at Jimmy angry that Eunice was using his son again. "And?" He snapped. He stopped and looked at the hurt in Jimmy's eyes.

Jimmy grabbed his bag and turned to the door,

"Son, please don't leave like this." Jackson begged.

Jimmy looked at his dad with tear-filled eyes, "I have to go Dad, she's my mother." He said and with that, he walked out of the door.

"James!" Jackson yelled and grabbed Jimmy by the arm. "Don't walk away from me now after all we've accomplished to get here."

* * *

Gibbs pulled up to find Jackson manhandling Jimmy back into the house.

"I can't leave her, I need to help her." Jimmy said

"We will help her," Gibbs said. "Jimmy why did you turn down rehab for her?" He asked.

"'can't afford it." He mumbled.

"Ok so what were you going to do?" Gibbs asked.

"Take her home." Jimmy replied.

"And lose your job with NCIS? And what about medical school?" Gibbs asked.

"Well, I guess dad was right I'm not cut out for medical school after all am I?" Jimmy snapped.

"No I wasn't right; I've listened to you and talked to Doctor Mallard, he says you are a fine young man and a promising medical student. You can't throw it all way." Jackson said

"But I don't even have a home how can I afford the rehab center, this is the only way she'll get better." Jimmy said

"If the doctor releases her you can bring her here until the place is vacant in the center, I'll pay for it." Jackson said.

Jimmy looked at Gibbs hopefully and was surprised when he found him nodding "Yeah, I can put her in the guest room, you can have my room and Dad can have the other room I still rack on the sofa anyway." Gibbs said.

Jimmy nodded, "Thanks, I…I'll need to get it ready for her." He said.

"What do you need son," Jackson asked.

"I just need to make sure that she can't hurt herself on anything in there." Jimmy said softly.

"Well lets get at it son, then we can head to the hospital." Jackson said and Jimmy looked up at him surprised.

"You'd come to the hospital?" He asked almost scared of the answer.

"I meant it when I said I would try, you are important to me, even though we don't get on she was important to me. So I'm doing this for you son, you're not alone Jimmy." Jackson said.

He was surprised when Jimmy shoulders seemed to lose some of their tension as they all walked upstairs to get on with the task at hand.

An hour later they looked at the room, Gibbs put a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Time to get your mom Jimmy." He said.

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Hey long time no see! only kidding. Now thanks for the reviews on the last chapter and for the following. Now apart from my 'troll' who won't believe this I will be finishing this story, I have six on the go but have vowed no more until these are finished as I hate unfinished stories as much as you guys do.
> 
> I have all my current stories on a rotating base on my desk, so they will each be updated one chapter at a time.
> 
> OK so going to post this and work on the next chapter of the next in the pile. :)
> 
> Disclaimer...Not mine...but planning on doing something about it...maybe...one day. (Oh I can dream!)
> 
> *Get's nudged by Gibbs* "Hey get back to work!"
> 
> "On it Boss!" ;)

They walked into the hospital room and Eunice was sitting on the edge of her bed not looking at anything.

"Mom?" Jimmy said coming in slowly.

"Hey Jimmy, I'm sorry." Eunice said her slight smile crumbling into full on sobs. "I screwed up again son."

Jimmy ran to his mom and held her in his arms, "Its gonna be ok Mom, I found the local NA meeting we'll be going together tonight."

Eunice shakily got to her feet; she looked up and saw Gibbs a small look of fear crossed her face.

"Its ok mom, he's here to help, that's all." Jimmy said reassuringly.

She nodded and allowed Gibbs to help her to the car.

They arrived at the house and Eunice was nodding off.

Both Jimmy and Gibbs helped her into the house and up to the room that Gibbs had given to Jimmy. Both boys walked down the stairs as Jackson walked out from the kitchen.

"How is she?" He asked genuinely concerned.

"She's sleeping thanks for not being around when we got her here, I don't think she would have walked in otherwise. Right now, she is so tired all she's going to do is sleep. I'm gonna wake her up in a few hours, there's a narcotics anonymous meeting at the church on the corner tonight, we'll be going tonight." Jimmy told his father.

"Don't you think she should sleep?" Jackson said

"Nope." Jimmy said suddenly, "Ninety meetings in ninety days, if she's going to get clean again that's what she's gotta do, I'll be going with her for the first ten days, then slowly let her go so that eventually she's going alone."

"Isn't that a bit harsh, I mean we don't know if she took the drugs willingly or if she was forced them?" Jackson said.

"It doesn't matter, the urge to use is always there….even years from now if she stays clean it may hit her, but to get her to that point we need to complete the whole twelve step programme." Jimmy explained.

"You seem to know a lot about this," Jackson said interested.

"I did it with mom just before I came to live with you," Jimmy told him.

"But, you were nine!" Jackson said.

"I had no one else." Jimmy said, he hadn't meant it as a slur on his father just the truth. Nevertheless, to Jackson another reminder of how he had let the boy down really hurt.

* * *

Gibbs' phone rang and he walked out of the kitchen to take the call.

"Gibbs." He snapped.

Tony told him that they had found the killer of Petty Officer Andrew Janes.

"So you got him in interrogation?" Gibbs asked,

"Na figured you'd be busy so we've processed him, it was Bruce Palmer, and apparently he had followed his wife to D.C. and found her with the Petty Officer and shot her up with the drugs and hit him over the head."

"Crap….Ok good work DiNozzo." Gibbs said and shut the phone.

Brilliant. Now on top of everything else it was Jimmy's stepfather who had been the killer, he was now in jail awaiting trial on the murder of the Petty Officer and the attempted murder of Eunice Palmer, and he had to tell them both.

He walked into the building again and looked at Jimmy.

"Hey kid, we got the killer." Gibbs said flatly.

Jimmy grinned, "That's great. So who was it?"

"Bruce." He said hoping the penny would drop.

Jimmy looked blank. "Bruce?"

"Palmer." Gibbs said.

"Yes?" Jimmy said.

Gibbs felt the need to either headslap himself or his very dense little brother, "No Jimmy, Bruce Palmer was our killer."

Jimmy face fell. "I can't say I'm surprised he's a killer, but why did he kill the petty officer?"

Gibbs waited as Jimmy worked through the implications of what he just told them.

Jimmy looked at his big brother, "Oh, I don't worry I actually expected him to kill mom years ago, why do you think I put up with dad all those years, I'm sorry Dad, but you were actually the best choice I had."

Jackson looked at his youngest son. "I never knew, I mean child services told me she had married and that you two didn't get on but I didn't know you really didn't like him….did he….did he hurt you?" Jackson asked.

Jimmy turned and walked out to the back porch. Looking into the garden, he tried to cover the emotion that Jackson's question had caused.

* * *

Gibbs followed Jimmy outside.

"Jimmy?" he said softly standing behind him.

"I can't tell him….we've just started to repair our relationship, I don't want to hurt him."

"Can't tell him what?" Gibbs asked gently motioning for Jimmy to sit down on one of the chairs on the porch.

Jimmy looked at his hands finding them suddenly more interesting than the thoughts running through his head.

"Dad's trying really hard…I think he's even started to like me…How do I tell him…I preferred Bruce beating me…He did beat me and no I didn't like it, but it was easier to take than the way dad treated me, when the beatings were done it was over with. Dad's silent treatment and the snide remarks were all the time." Jimmy was crying unashamed now. "I'm sorry; I know I'm a bad person for thinking this way."

Jackson walked over and enveloped his son in a hug.

"You are not a bad person for thinking that way. I love you and I am sorry for everything I put you through…I didn't know he hit you. I saw you with a black eye once when you were five, I believed your mothers explanation though. Maybe I shouldn't have." Jackson said quietly.

"No you shouldn't." Gibbs growled mad that this had happened.

Jimmy looked up stricken,

"No! Don't you two fight! It's not his fault. Bruce has always been like that. I think it was why mom started doing drugs. She's tried to get clean for me when child services took me, but he would drug her food." Jimmy explained.

"I am so sorry son, If I hadn't been so blinded you wouldn't have had to go through this…If you want to….If you'll let me… I know I can't make up for what you went through but I would like to help…Please?"

Jimmy hugged his father, he knew there would still be bumps in the road along the way but this part of his life was finally on the road to being repaired.

Now the hard part…He had to wake his mother and hope that as his parents were about to meet again for the first time in years that they wouldn't kill each other.

 


	11. Chapter 11

The clock hit five thirty and Jimmy got up off the couch, it for him, had already been a hard day, talking with his dad about the ins and outs of living with Bruce Palmer as a child and finding a balance that he and his father could live with.

Explaining about his mother's drug habits and what following the twelve-step plan would entail for both himself, his mother and Jethro.

Gibbs had moved all his bourbon to the basement and found a padlock to put on there. Eunice had never been a big drinker but she had a tendency to hit the bottle when trying to quit drugs. Jimmy had booked the next two weeks off to help get his mother settled into the plan.

Jackson had offered the use of the spare room in his house for Eunice when they finally returned home. Although Jimmy had been skeptical that both his parents could have a civil conversation, he wanted to believe his dad when he promised that he held no grudges against his mother.

"Well!" Jimmy said standing up; "Here goes nothing…" he walked up the stairs and knocked on the door of his mother's room.

* * *

Eunice Palmer was finishing brushing her hair as Jimmy entered the room.

"Jimmy, where am I? I heard your voice is this your house?" she asked

"No ma' it's Leroy's house." He said.

Her face clouded over "Why am I here?" She asked her voice getting low and angry.

"I'm staying with Leroy and dad right now, he's said you can stay till your well and I arranged for you to stay with dad for a few days when you're well enough to go home." He said glad he had found a way to help his mother.

Eunice hit out at her son and backhanded him around the face. For a second Jimmy looked hurt as he hit the floor, but his mom's temper was known to be volatile and instantly she crouched down and hugged her son, "Jimmy I'm so sorry, you shouldn't have made me mad like that." She said to her son.

Jimmy wiped the small trickle of blood that ran down his face from his nose, "I'm sorry momma," He smiled as she calmed down.

"So," She said the last few minutes forgotten, "How do I look?" she asked.

Jimmy smiled, "You look beautiful Ma?"

"Jimmy don't leave me alone with him will you?" She asked herself looking fearful.

"It's ok Ma, dad's changed…" Jimmy started.

"He'll never change, he hates me, I was never good enough, and I wasn't Anne." She said sadly.

"Please mom." Jimmy said gently tugging his mother towards the stairs.

Eunice nodded and slowly and a little unsteadily followed Jimmy down the stairs.

* * *

Jethro and Jackson sat in the living room drinking coffee as Eunice came down with Jimmy.

"Mrs. Palmer. I hope your feeling better." Gibbs said as his father looked at her.

"Yes thank you Leroy, the sleep was very restful." Eunice said politely.

"James what happened to your cheek?" Jackson asked his son.

"I knocked it helping mom in the bathroom," Jimmy lied.

Gibbs looked at his brother, he had seen enough abuse cases over the years for his gut to say his brother was lying, but he did not say anything hoping Jimmy would talk to him later.

"Eunice." Jackson said looking at Jimmy's mother.

Eunice looked furtively over at her ex. "Jack."

"You're looking better; we are going to cook for you while you're both at your meeting so dinner should be ready when you get back." Jackson said to her.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because you'll be hungry; you haven't eaten all day and the doctor said you need to eat regularly." He told her,

"And as usual you know what's best for me?" She sniped.

"Mom!" Jimmy said exasperated but was silenced by a look.

"I can't do this Jimmy, we can go to your place and I can take care of myself." She snapped at him

"I…I don't have a place Mom," Jimmy told her.

"But…Bruce was sending you $200 a month for rent?" She said to him.

"No he wasn't." Jimmy replied.

Eunice turned to her son, "You're lying I gave him $200 each month out of my paycheck to him to send to you he told me you had a nice apartment."

Jimmy backed up forgetting where he was seeing the look in her eye.

"Mom, please I really didn't get anything from Bruce, he told me when I left not to bother you for money, I stayed in shelters like he told me…I…I didn't…." Jimmy yelped as Gibbs put his hands on his brother's shoulders standing behind him.

"Eunice, I believe him, Jimmy loves you and he isn't a liar. I have offered him a home here, you are welcome to stay until you are well, but you will not hurt him." Gibbs said gruffly.

"Leroy, I have never hurt my son in my life." She said insulted, "Have I Jimmy." She looked at him.

Jimmy looked at the floor, "No…." he started feeling uncomfortable again, "Look Mom, we have a meeting in half an hour, we should leave now so you can have a coffee before the meeting starts and meet some people." He said and ushered his mother out of the door.

Jackson looked at his eldest son, "Leroy, do you think maybe…"

"Do I think she was hitting him as well as Bruce….yeah…maybe…but Jimmy would have to admit it for me to be able to do something, Lets get to work on dinner dad. Hopefully when they get back she may be in a better mood." Gibbs said.

* * *

Two weeks past.

Eunice kept going to her meetings and she settled into life at Gibbs. Things between her and Jackson were getting less strained in fact Jimmy had told his brother at work that he had seen them looking through an album and laughing, Gibbs had been pleased at the smile on his brothers face. "…and I swear Jethro, he…he held her hand and smiled at her." Jimmy continued smiling.

"I am glad they are getting on Jimmy, but you know you can't push them right?" Gibbs said smiling back.

"Yeah, I do. Dad's going with mom to her meeting tonight, Dr. Mallard came to see her this morning he says she's doing better and should be able to go home next month." He said. "They asked if I can go down the weekend after she goes home with him."

Gibbs was pleased. Deep down Eunice was a nice person, she had her problems but she had come out of her shell whilst spending time with his father and he could see them getting together although even she knew not to push it.

Gibbs and Jimmy had been carpooling to work in the mornings, but due to Gibbs work schedule Jimmy got a lift home with Agent Dorneget "Thanks Ned." He said and waved as he got out of the car, grabbed his bag and walked into the house.

It was quiet he had expected to find his mother on the sofa resting quietly before her next meeting.

He heard quiet laughter filtering down from upstairs his mother's voice, then a man's voice. For a second he thought he parents were upstairs together, 'Eww!" he thought with a grin. The he noticed Jackson's car was not outside. There was a crash and he ran upstairs, taking the steps two at a time.

"Mom!" he called and ran into her room.

He looked frantic as he saw his mom on the bed in her dressing gown passing a crack pipe to the stranger sitting on the bed with her. He started to go over to her and stopped as the man moved to show him the gun in his hand.

"So you're the son, she never said you were so pretty," He said obviously stoned.

"Who are you? Mom? Why did you do this?" Jimmy said unable to stop the tears of disappointment from running down his cheeks.

"Jimmy, this is your Uncle John, Bruce's brother, He was waiting outside my meeting. Bruce got bail and they came to see me, he wants me back." She said slurring her words her eyes unfocused but she looked deceptively happy.

"They…!" Jimmy said in a small voice.

"Hello son." A voice came from behind him.

Jimmy's blood turned to ice as he turned and instantly collided with the fist of his stepfather.

Jimmy's last coherent thought was "I hope dad doesn't come back,"

 


	12. Chapter 12

Jackson groaned and looked up as he heard Gibbs' voice calling his name. "DAD, JIMMY?" He yelled.

Jackson lifted his head and pushed the gag out of his mouth with his tongue, "LEROY!" he called.

Gibbs heard his father's voice and drew his gun. "Dad you ok?" He called coming down the basement steps with his weapon drawn.

"No, I got jumped by two guys." He complained.

Gibbs put his gun away and got out his knife to cut his father's bonds.

"What happened?" Gibbs asked taking in the bruise to his father's head as well.

"Eunice and I came out of the meeting, she was doing really well and then Bruce and some guy turned up one of them hit me over the head and I woke up down here."

"Take my phone, press 1 and fill Tony in, get Ducky here too!"

He pulled his gun again and took the stairs two at a time "Jimmy!" He called his gut churning.

He went into Jimmy's room his bag was there but no sign of his brother. Then he went into Eunice's room, there was what was left of their drug party all over the bed and one of Jimmy's shoes on the floor and worse a small pool of blood.

However, no Jimmy, or Eunice.

* * *

Jimmy was in Bruce and John's motel room putting pressure on the gash in his side, where Bruce had kicked him.

"Mom." He groaned as the pain got to him.

Eunice looked at Bruce, "Honey he's hurt, I need to get him to a hospital." She pleaded.

"I don't think so." Bruce snarled. "John, give the boy something for the pain." He ordered.

John picked up a syringe and injected Jimmy.

"Noooo, I have to stay awake, Please Bruce, it's bleeding too much." Jimmy begged.

"Shut up, your only here because she wants you." Bruce said looking at Eunice who lay back with her eyes closed as her latest hit took her to a new high.

"M…Momma…Please help me." Jimmy begged his pleas being ignored.

John sat on the bed next to him, "Soooooooo, purty." He said still stoned and drunk.

Jimmy flinched and moved himself as far as he could in the corner away from John.

He closed his eyes as the drug took effect tears escaping as he wondered if his Dad was ok and if Gibbs knew he was missing.

* * *

Gibbs stormed outside as Ducky arrived,

"What's the matter Jethro?" he asked.

"I think Jimmy's been kidnapped with his mother, Dad's been injured. Can ya look at him for me Duck?" He asked.

Ducky nodded and hurried inside.

Tony, Tim and Ziva arrived seconds later.

"McGee David, Bag and Tag the two upstairs bedrooms, not mine. DiNozzo with me." He growled and the two junior agents rushed to obey.

"Boss?" Tony asked when they were alone.

"I think Jimmy's been hurt, Bruce Palmer was here and there's blood in the spare room." He told his SFA.

"God! Boss, do you think he's hurt bad?" Tony asked afraid for his friend.

"Dunno DiNozzo, I need you to put a BOLO out on Bruce Palmer, see if we can flush him out." Gibbs ordered. Tony nodded picked up his phone and walked out onto the porch.

A few moments later he came in, "They already know where he is, he's just been busted, buying Meth, outside a motel in Alexandria, he won't tell them what room he's in so they are about to start knocking doors." Tony told him.

"Get em to call an ambulance and to hold on, we're going, DiNozzo." Gibbs said jumping in the charger and revving the engine.

Tony passed on the message and sent a quick text to Ziva and Tim so they would know where they were.

The car sped off towards the Motel, Gibbs driving even faster than usual in a bid to reach his little brother.

* * *

Jimmy could see flashing lights and swirling images, nothing made sense. His pain was gone and he stood up, not noticing the blood seeping down his side from the wound he had now forgotten about.

"Momma…." He said.

John and Eunice smiled at him.

"Come here baby." She said to him, he lay on the bed as she gently cupped his head.

John lay beside him stroking his face. "You're such a pretty boy," He cooed.

"I feel strange." Jimmy slurred.

"Its ok baby, it's just to make things easy for you to relax, I'm gonna keep you safe now." She said in his ear.

John started taking his clothes off and Jimmy protested.

"It's too hot for you to wear all that." John told him.

Jimmy half-heartedly fought back but he forgot what he was doing and why he was fighting as John leant over to kiss him.

There was a loud crash as the door broke down.

"Wass that?" Jimmy slurred.

* * *

"GET OFF HIM!" An angry voice yelled.

Gibbs could not believe what he was seeing and he thanked anyone listening, that he had made it there in time, he hoped that he had. Seeing his little brother naked on the bed with his mother passed out in the corner and this man….his 'uncle' next to him made him physically sick. His anger overrode that as he grabbed John Palmer and slammed him up against the wall and handcuffed him.

Jimmy felt movement but he still felt like he was watching an impressionist movie, nothing made sense. "I think…cold…momma…cold….maybe me dead…." He prattled on, he heard shouting and turned on his side away from the noise, "Shhhhhhhhhh! Sleep now!" He said forcefully and closed his eyes.

Tony grabbed a blanket and covered his friend's nakedness as best as he could.

The Paramedics came in and started to look at Jimmy.

He felt himself turned over onto his back and a bright light was shone in his eyes.

"Mr. Palmer….Mr. Palmer?" A very loud very annoying voice called,

"Not Palmer…Gibbs…No, not Gibbs…..Just Jimmy." He groaned.

"Jimmy the paramedics are here to help you, you're safe now." Gibbs' voice floated on the edge of his consciousness.

"Leeeeeeroy, I feel all floaty light." Jimmy giggled.

Gibbs looked at his brother incredulously, despite the shape he was in and what was hopefully 'nearly' done to him Jimmy was laughing.

* * *

Gibbs turned to the paramedics, "What the hell is wrong with him?" he asked.

"Jimmy has a small wound on his torso, we've patched it although it will need stitching, I think although we will need to do tests that he may be on Meth."

Gibbs looked at Jimmy who was sat waving his hand in front of his face.

"Do we….Do we need to run a…..rape kit?" He asked nearly vomiting over the question.

"No. you say he's been gone a few hours, there is not physical sign of sexual abuse, although it looks like he has been hit a few times and the wound on his side was probably caused by a kick," The paramedic told him.

"You can't take him, he's my son….I have to pay John….Jimmy is his now." Eunice said.

Gibbs looked at the patrol officer standing behind the door, "Take her to a rehab place, give them my card," He said pulling a contact card out of his pocket, "Tell em to send me the bill and not under any circumstances to release her without contacting me." He ordered.

"Yes Sir," the patrol officer said and took Eunice Palmer away.

The Paramedics lifted the gurney with Jimmy securely strapped to it.

"Sir, we will be taking him to Bethesda," They said.

"I'll ride with you!" Tony said quickly, "Er...Is that ok Boss? Jimmy is my friend he doesn't need to be alone and well, you brought your car." He explained.

"Thanks Tony, Stay with him till I can get there, I have to check on my dad." Gibbs said and watched as the ambulance containing his SFA and little brother drove off.

 


	13. Chapter 13

Tony paced outside Jimmy's room unable to go in; feeling useless as the doctors busied themselves helping his friend.

He looked through the small observation window watching Jimmy convulse as the Meth ravaged its way through his system.

"LET ME GO!" Jimmy screamed as they tied him onto the bed using restraints.

Tony looked as his scrawny friend suddenly seemed to gain the strength of ten men and he shook off the two doctors holding him down and started wrecking the room.

One of the nurses hit and alarm button and five security guards came running down the corridor and they all went to hold him down.

Jimmy was still struggling and Tony barged past the security guards. "Get off him!" he snarled.

Tony placed a hand on Jimmy's head, "Jimmy, its ok you're safe now." He said.

"Toooonyyyy! Get away….they'll hurt you….save dad….save…Jack….save….." Jimmy collapsed again and moved to allow the doctors to restrain him.

Tony walked out of the room and up to the nurse who had tried pushed the alarm button.

"Do you read your patients notes?" He asked annoyed.

"Why bother officer?" She said seeing his badge, "He's just another crack head we get them most weekends."

She didn't mean to sound standoffish she was just tired at the end of a 72 hours shift and had had six junkies in already today.

"He's not a crack head, he's a Victim in a kidnapping and assault, the trauma you've just caused didn't help matters." Tony said

"I….I didn't know." She said, "I'm just tired, we try our best you know." She smiled in an attempt at an apology, "I'll make sure everyone else knows that he's not a junkie, and I'll personally talk to the doctor if you'll fill me in on what happened." She offered.

Tony nodded and took her to one side and explained what he had been through and what they expected he might have been through.

When he finished the nurse had tears in her eyes.

"Oh My God, that poor boy." She said.

She thanked Tony for the information and headed off to inform the doctor in charge.

Tony slumped into a chair knowing there was nothing else he could do until a doctor came out and let him know how Jimmy was.

* * *

Gibbs headed towards the rehab center the police told him they had sent her to.

He parked up and walked inside, the sun was just starting to rise and he was starting to feel the effects of being up all night.

"We don't open to visitors till one." A bored voice said from behind reception.

Gibbs flashed his credentials. "NCIS. I'm here to check on the status of a patient just brought in.," he said curtly.

The guard lazily looked up, "Name?" He asked.

"Special Agent Gibbs." He said.

The guard sighed, "The patient's name?" He said again.

"Eunice Palmer, I want to see her doc too!" He demanded

"It's 5.30am, he's not in yet," The guard grumbled.

Gibbs slammed his hand down on the desk, "This is part of an ongoing investigation unless you want me to arrest your for interfering in a federal investigation then I suggest you get him outta bed…NOW!"

The guard jumped up. "Yessir!" He stumbled back, grabbed the phone, and started making calls as Gibbs walked towards the window and looked out at the sun rising behind the buildings in front of him.

Half an hour later Gibbs was being escorted to Eunice Palmers' room. It was her first 48 hours there and she was in lockdown where all new patients where put on suicide watch.

He waited as the guard passed him over to the nurse on the ward.

"Agent Gibbs," The nurse said with a smile. "I'm Sally." She walked him to a room, "You can't go in, but you can look through the window, she's in no state to talk to anyone anyway."

Gibbs looked through the glass; Eunice looked old. Even older than Jack, he assumed that was the effect of the drugs and he found himself wondering what it would have been like if he were raised by her rather than Anne and how much better Jimmy's life could have been.

Whilst he was lost in this introspective, the doctor walked up behind him.

"Agent Gibbs," She said and smirked as he jumped.

He turned to look at her, "Yes." He snapped.

"Dr. Jenny Pressman," She smiled, Gibbs raised an eyebrow, a doctor and a redhead. He shook his head willing those thoughts to go away.

"Dr. Pressman, I'm here about Eunice Palmer. She was brought in this morning." He said.

"Yes I have checked her chart, it says you're prepared to pay for her rehabilitation privately," She looked surprised but carried on.

"She's….my brothers mother, but she is also under arrest so will not be allowed at anytime to check herself out." He made sure she got this point.

"Very well, Right now she is under sedation, we will be starting her on a detoxifying regime in the morning depending on the outcome of her bloods." Jenny said.

"I just needed to know that she was ok, she is not allowed any visitors without my authorization, and I want it clear that all communication regarding this woman is to come to me." He stood his ground and she took notes and nodded.

"Very well Agent Gibbs, I look forward to working with you." She replied and shook his hand.

* * *

Jimmy woke up his head hurt, his side was burning and he felt sicker than he had ever felt in his life.

He couldn't see clearly and went to turn over to grab his glasses off his nightstand. Then he found he couldn't move and he was mentally assaulted as all the images from the past night washed over him. He thought he was still in the motel room and realized he was too scared to scream, only when he tried to move again did he realize that he was tied up.

"Noooo!" He tried calling out but his throat was too sore, "Mom?" he croaked.

A nurse stood up and helped him with some ice chips.

"It's ok Jimmy, you're in hospital, you're safe now." She told him she brushed the hair from his forehead and passed him his glasses.

Jimmy slightly pulled at his restraints, "Please….let me go." He pleaded.

"I can untie the restraints as long as you remain here; you're not cleared to leave yet." She said and started to undo them as Jimmy nodded.

She helped him sit up and gave him a few more ice chips to wet his throat.

"My names Helen, I'm your nurse," She told him.

"Thank you Helen." He croaked, "What happened?" he asked.

"You had a bad 'trip' dear," Helen smiled, "Maybe some bad Meth…I'm not sure, they just asked me to sit with you, you had a nasty gash in your side that we stitched up as well. Do you want me to get someone in to see you about your habit?"

Jimmy pulled away from her, "I'm not a junkie, I don't have a habit!" he rasped.

"They all say that dear, but if you end up here in the state that you were….well you were so high it took five of our security team to get you in this bed."

Jimmy looked away from her, "It wasn't my fault….did….did I hurt anyone?" He asked.

"I did hear the woman that was with you went to a hospital, not this one though, I think she died." Helen said

Jimmy looked away unable to stop the tears that were falling down his cheeks, "My dad…..my Brother?" he questioned.

"I don't think they made it either," Helen said softly.

With that, Jimmy fainted.

The door opened and the nurse who had spoken to Tony earlier walked in, "Helen what are you doing here?" Susan asked.

"I was asked to sit with the junkie kid who lost his family in the car wreck," She replied.

"Jimmy Parker, he's two doors down." Susan told her.

"Oh Ok!" She said smiling brightly and walked off down the hall.

Tony opened the door as Helen walked out, "How is he?" he asked concerned.

"He's not woken up yet, do you want to stay with him?" Susan asked.

"I will, I have to go back home to change then I'll be back, tell him I've got his six and I'll be back soon." Tony said.

An hour later Jimmy woke up again.

"Hello Jimmy, nice to see you up and around again," Susan said.

Jimmy looked at her and turned away, "Go away." He said.

"Jimmy! You need to sit up for me, I need to give you your medication and we need to talk about your mother." Susan said. Tony had asked that as soon as Jimmy woke up that he be told that his mother was in Rehab getting the best care possible.

"Please I know about …I just …not now…" Jimmy started crying and turned so no one could see.

"Autopsy Gremlin!" Tony said smiling as he opened the door, he had been surprised to see that Gibbs hadn't beaten him here, since he had talked to him ten minutes ago, Gibbs had planned on picking up Jackson and coming straight to the hospital.

"I didn't mean to!" Jimmy yelled, "Just go away, Tony!"

"What?" Tony said confused.

"JUST GET OUT!" Jimmy grabbed the bedpan next to his head and threw it at Tony's head.

 


	14. Chapter 14

Tony shut the door quickly, ducking the bedpan and trying to figure out what on earth had upset his friend so much.

"Jimmy!" Tony called through the door, "It's me Tony!"

"Just leave me alone!" Jimmy said not looking at him, "It's safer that way."

"What?" Tony braved the onslaught of bedpans he figured his next action would bring and walked into the room again.

"Did they send you to arrest me?" Jimmy asked sounding utterly defeated.

"What the heck for?" Tony was very confused, He knew Jimmy had been through a lot but why would he think he needed to be arrested. "For crying out loud Jimmy you're the victim!"

"But they're all dead because of me….mom, dad, Leroy…" Jimmy burst into tears.

"What! Who told you that?"

"The nurse that was here earlier told me they were all dead, if I hadn't been high they wouldn't have died." Jimmy said turning away. "She said it was because I was on drugs that they had died."

Tony stormed out of the room and walked straight into Susan who was checking Jimmy's chart, "Morning." She said he smile slipping as she saw the look on Tony's face. "Tony, what's wrong?"

"What did you say to Jimmy?" He yelled maneuvering her into a corner.

Susan looked confused and more than a little scared as Gibbs came around the corner and saw them nose to nose. Tony looking more angry than he had ever seen him in the past.

* * *

"What the hell is going on?" Gibbs growled.

"That's what I want to know, Jimmy thinks you're dead and apparently a nurse told him his whole family had died!" Tony snarled looking angrily at the nurse, "You know what he's been through why did you tell him that?"

Susan looked confused…."Oh Hell!" she said annoyed, "We have a nurse on staff she's on probation for jumping to conclusions about patients and her unorthodox manner. I found her in Jimmy's room this morning she got him mixed up with Jimmy Parker; the Meth addict down the hall who drove his parent's car into a wall killed his whole family outright."

"I wanna see your supervisor now!" Gibbs ordered. He wanted to walk straight into Jimmy's room and tell him he was ok, but it was close to shift change and there was no way he was letting this other nurse leave before he could make her wish she had never messed with his little brother.

"Is there a problem here?" Dr Stoker asked seeing his nurse crowded by two men.

"Yes, I think we have a problem with Nurse Jonson. She went into James Palmers room instead of her assigned room which is Jimmy Parker's room and told him his family was dead." Susan said outraged one of her nurses had done this.

Dr. Stoker stood aghast he knew there had been complaints about the nurse before, but he had hope she had changed her ways. He turned to Susan, "Bring Helen to my office, then I want you to go and sit with Mr. Palmer and inform him of her mistake. Oh and make no mistake, Sister or not she is fired." Susan Stoker looked at her husband and nodded, "I know Dave, I know."

Gibbs looked at the man, "The nurse is your sister in law?" he asked

"Yes I am sorry this should never have happened I think I just gave her too many chances, her boyfriend died a few years ago of a heroin overdose, she's young and rather…er…free with her mouth, but this was the last straw she's been warned before." He explained.

For a second Gibbs felt sorry for the woman, but his anger at the extra suffering the nurse had put his brother through won the war with his emotions.

He leant against the wall as Helen opened the door, not seeing Gibbs she walked in, "Dave…?" She started and stopped at the look of disappointment on his face.

"What did you say to the Palmer kid?" he asked.

"Me! Nothing. Why what did he say, I sat there and monitored his vitals, it wasn't until Susan came in that I found out I was in the wrong room, then I just left and went to Jimmy Parkers room."

"So, Helen, if you didn't say anything to Jimmy Palmer, how did he come to think that all his family had been killed by him?" Dave asked carefully.

"Well, come on Dave he's a meth head, who knows what he'll come up with." She said trying to justify herself.

"Jimmy is NOT a meth-head!" Gibbs growled moving himself off the wall behind her. "He was a victim of a crime, who was given Meth. You have no right to judge him."

"Who are you?" Helen said instantly on the defensive.

"I'm his DEAD BROTHER!" Gibbs growled his face so close to hers she started to shake. "You have no idea what that boy's been through and you have the audacity to call yourself a caregiver."

"I….." Helen knew she was in trouble.

"Helen, gather your things, you're fired!" Dr. Stoker told her his face impassive.

"Dave! NO… What! It was a mistake, come on!" she begged.

Dave turned to his sister in law; "Helen get the hell out of my hospital!" he said flatly and watched impassively as she fled from the room.

Dave sagged as he watched her go, "I am so sorry Mr. Gibbs, and your brother should never have had that happen to him."

"It's Agent Gibbs and don't apologize, it's a sign of weakness." He turned and walked down the hall.

* * *

Dr. Stoker followed him, "I'm coming to see your brother as well Agent Gibbs. You may see apologies as a sign of weakness, but I don't and I for one fully intend to apologize to your brother for my nurse's actions."

Gibbs nodded as Dr. Stoker followed him down the hall.

Jimmy sat in his room, he had refused point-blank to talk to anyone and yet they kept sticking their heads around the door to talk to him.

So in desperation he had moved his bed and barricaded himself inside his room.

"Jimmy please; I just want to talk, honest everything is ok." Tony said from the other side of the door.

"Nothing is ok Tony; it never will be again….I can't do this, not now….just leave me alone!" Jimmy yelled. Even through the door, his sobs could be heard as he curled himself in a corner and cried for the family he had been so optimistic for.

Jimmy could see the 'dead' corpses of his family looking at him accusingly, 'you killed us Jimmy, it's all your fault!' the voice of his dead father said to him. "Leave me alone!" He yelled balling up his fists and rubbing at his eyes.

Tony looked around and let out a sigh of relief as Gibbs walked around the corner.

"Boss, he's locked himself in, I think he's moved the bed behind the door, he won't believe me; I've told him your fine." Tony told him.

"Jimmy?" Gibbs' voice cut over all the other voices in the hallway.

"Leroy? Oh God, I'm still hallucinating." Jimmy said.

"JAMES ALVIN GIBBS, OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!" Gibbs barked.

Instinctively Jimmy jumped and moved the bed, "Good." Gibbs said gruffly as he entered the room, "Do I look like a damned hallucination to you?"

"Leroy!" Jimmy's smile swept across his face as he ran and hugged his brother, "You survived, I'm so sorry…." Jimmy took a step back, "I…Dad….is he…I mean…did I?"

Gibbs moved his brother back onto the bed.

"Dad's fine, the nurse lied, she got you mixed up with another patient, your mom's in a good rehab, I checked on her myself, that's where I've been, she's going to be ok."

Jimmy held onto Gibbs needing the physical contact that came with it to realize that he was real.

Dr. Stoker checked him over, "Are you still having hallucinations son?" he asked kindly.

Jimmy looked at the corner of the room where his 'dead' family were slowly fading out of existence. "Noooo." He said, it sounded false even to his ears but he hoped they wouldn't call him on it.

Dr. Stoker smiled, he knew Jimmy was still hallucinating, the meth wouldn't immediately leave his system, "I want to keep you here for another 24 hours for observation."

"I'll stay with him." Gibbs said leaving no room for argument.

Dr. Stoker nodded "I think that would be good." He said as Susan helped Jimmy back into bed.

"DiNozzo, go to my house, pick up my father and Ducky. I think they both would like to see Jimmy and then head back to the yard and get on the interrogation of Bruce and John Palmer, I want you and Ziva to handle it personally, Kate and Tim can work on getting this case fast tracked, by the time Jimmy's out I want the Palmer boys on trial."

 


	15. Chapter 15

Jimmy sat on his bed his bag packed feeling much better than he had in the last few days. His wound was still sore and his body stiff but he hadn't had any more hallucinations. Gibbs had been in ever since he had got back and apart from coffee runs and head calls he had not left his brothers side.

"You ready to go?" Gibbs asked as he walked in the room.

Jimmy looked up he still had rings around his eyes and looked tired, "Yeah, I'm ready." He stood up and Gibbs brought in the wheelchair.

"Aww. Leroy a wheelchair!" he moaned.

"Ya wanna go home?" Gibbs asked with a smirk, right then Jimmy reminded him of DiNozzo every time he had to check him out of the hospital.

"Yeah!" Jimmy gave a small grin and sat tiredly in the wheelchair.

Gibbs pushed him to his car and the both of them set off for home.

Pulling up outside the house, Jimmy was surprised to see Abby's car in the driveway and Gibbs grinned at his little brother. "I managed to talk her out of a welcome home party, but not out of being here when you got home," He said as the two of them walked up the steps.

Gibbs opened the door and Abby came flying out hugging Jimmy.

"You're back!" She exclaimed hugging him.

"Ow, hey Abbs." Jimmy smiled

"I'm sorry did I hurt you?" Abby asked looking worried.

"Just a little but its fine, have you been here long?" Jimmy asked.

"I've been with Jackson all day, we made gumbo for you." She told him smiling.

Jimmy tightened his grip on his bag as Jackson came out.

"James, I'm glad your back son." Jackson said.

Jimmy was please to see his dad, but the one thing that was bothering him did not go away. "I'm sorry sir." Jimmy said as Gibbs sat him down on the couch.

"Good lord what for son?" Jackson asked.

"For not…..for letting Bruce…I." Jimmy stumbled over what he needed to say.

"James Alvin Gibbs, if the next words out of your mouth are to apologize for any of this God help me I'll…" Jackson started.

"I should have warned you, I should have told you about him and Uncle John, I could have stopped him." Jimmy said not daring to face his father. "I should have gone with mom to her meeting, and then you wouldn't have been hurt."

Jackson walked across the room and sat next to his son, "Jimmy, you are not to blame for what happened and the only thing I am concerned about is the fact that you are safe. You are not responsible for your mother either, Leroy has entered her into a rehab center and I am going to pay for her treatment."

Jimmy looked up surprised. "Y…You! But she's my mother, I should pay for it, I can get another part-time job and pay you back." He insisted.

Jackson yet again berated himself for the way Jimmy was reluctant to accept any help for his mother from his father. "James, you are my son, I made mistakes over the years, and I'm trying to help, please let me." He asked.

"Thank you." Jimmy said.

"Jimmy, I know you can't go back to work for a month and Leroy is going to be busy at work, I want to ask…will you come home…with me…just until you're fit for work."

Gibbs had been walking through from the basement as his dad asked his little brother to go home and he stood waiting and hoping on Jimmy's answer.

"You want me to come home?" Jimmy asked, he did miss the open spaces and calmness of Stillwater and he knew the cleaner air there would help his recovery, and more than anything else, all he wanted ...all he had ever wanted was his father to ask him to come home.

"I do, I want a chance to welcome you into your home as my son, and I want a chance to be the father you always wanted me to be." Jackson said with total sincerity.

Jimmy looked at his father weighing his words and with tears and hope in his eyes he said, "Please dad, I want to come home." Jackson pulled his son into a hug and in the doorway; Gibbs leaned back and smiled.

* * *

Eunice Palmer opened her eyes and groaned her head with still swimming.

"Good morning, my name is Dr. Jenny Pressman; I will be your doctor for the duration of your stay." She smiled and waited.

"Where am I?" Eunice asked, "Where are Bruce and John?"

"You are at Morningside Rehabilitation Center, your nurse is Sally and you are here until you have been clean for six months." Dr Pressman said.

"I can't afford this?" Eunice said, "I need to be out of here, I need to call my husband."

"You are here under a court order, you're care is being paid by an anonymous third party and you cannot leave until we are given permission to let you go. I have been told to tell you that your son is safe and he will recover and your husband and brother in law are both in jail awaiting trial."

Eunice realized there was nothing she could do. "Can I make phone calls?" she asked.

"Not yet, there is no contact with the outside for a month, then you earn privileges, Agent Gibbs told me to let you know that you're son will be fine and he'll be going to his fathers to recuperate. Although this is usually against the rules; When Agent Gibbs comes to interview you, you will be allowed one phone call to James, as his doctor has informed us that this will aid his recovery." Jenny pursed her lips although she had told her twice about her son. She had not really asked about him, she made a mental note to tell Gibbs before she was allowed to make the call.

Eunice turned and looked out of the window, "Bruce and John will be really mad….Jimmy was his…I traded him, John's not going to be happy I will have to get him back…." She said talking to herself.

* * *

Bruce sat in interrogation as Ziva walked in. He leered at her and she ignored him.

"Hey girly, you wanna blow this joint and go somewhere with me?" he asked.

Inside she shivered and felt sorry for Jimmy growing up with this man in his life.

"We have evidence to prove you killed Petty Officer Andrew Janes." She said and threw a folder in front of him.

"Yeah well, he was an idiot, he tried to sleep with my with my wife," Bruce sneered, "She's my property not his."

"She is your wife she is no ones property." Ziva told him.

"All women and children are property of the man," Bruce said totally believing what he was saying, "You should talk to your man and not mess with affairs that don't concern you." He sneered.

Ziva smiled.

"You should let me go girly, or I'll kill you like I did the sailor boy." Bruce boasted arrogantly.

"Thank you." Ziva said and walked out.

"Get your man girl I want my brother and we are walking out of here. I have to pick up my boy."

Ziva turned put Bruce in an arm lock and slammed him face down on the table. "You will be going away for a long time; and you will never get your hands on Jimmy again. He will be with his family." She smiled as he yelled and struggled in her grip until two agents came and dragged him away.

* * *

Jimmy, Gibbs and Jackson pulled up outside The Stillwater General store. Exiting the car the two older men walked easily into the store as Jimmy grabbed his bag and stood at the side of the car looking up at the window he had climbed out to escape from all those years ago.

"You ok?" Gibbs said placing a hand on his little brother's shoulder.

"I….I will be." Jimmy said and took a deep breath as he followed Gibbs inside.

He put his bag down and sat at the table as the woman who was serving behind the counter looked up. "Can I help you son?" she asked eyeing him suspiciously. She had seen Jackson and his son go through to the back and although regular customers got to sit at Jackson's table in the store it wasn't everyday a stranger did.

"I…I'm ok thanks." Jimmy said nervously.

The woman looked offended, "You know son, most people come in to a store in a town like this and they usually by something they don't just come in to sit at a table reserved for family and friends when they most clearly are neither." She could not believe the audacity of this young city upstart. "You should leave sir, now."

The sheriff walked in as Mable got up to usher the young man out.

"There a problem here Mable?" Ed asked.

"No sir Sheriff this man was just leaving, Jackson just got back from his trip and I don't want to bother him with this."

"But I…!" Jimmy started.

"Now you need to leave young man." Ed said.

"But I'm…." Jimmy tried again, coughing as the pain in his side flared up.

Ed moved to turn him around and handcuffed him, "Jackson Gibbs is a nice old man and I won't have any problems in his store."

"Dad!" Jimmy yelled.

Ed stopped and looked at him as Jackson and Gibbs walked out of the back.

"Jimmy where are…..what the hell is going on!" Gibbs snarled at Ed.

"Leroy, Mable said this young man was causing trouble, he your son?" Ed asked.

"No!" Jackson said. Mable looked at Jimmy with a triumphant look on her face, which quickly fell with Jackson's next words. "He's my son and I'll thank you to let him go. A fine welcome home this is, now what happened?" he asked angrily.

"It's my fault Dad, I didn't introduce myself." Jimmy said trying to exonerate the old woman who was obviously his father's friend.

"No James, I should have told Mable you were coming and you…." He turned to Mable, "You should have let him explain himself, even if he wasn't my son he should at least have been allowed to finish a sentence, you've been cutting people off again haven't you." Jackson said to his old friend.

"You're James Gibbs?" Ed said stunned.

Jimmy nodded, "Well Jimmy Palmer now." He said,

"Glad you're alive son, we've been looking for you for years ever since your father called us out." Ed smiled; this was a nice end to his longest missing person's case ever.

 


	16. Chapter 16

Jimmy watched as the sheriff left.

Mable walked around the counter and sat next to him, "I'm sorry James. I didn't even think you were Jackson's son, we all thought you were dead," She leant towards him, "My father even thought Jackson had killed you." She whispered.

Jackson laughed, "Mable, you're father was such an old coot, he couldn't even spell your name right." He looked at Jimmy. "You know she spells it M.A.B.L.E instead of M.A.B.E.L." He said although Jimmy looked horrified at Jackson tell him this both Mable and Jackson laughed.

"Yes and remember the amount of times new teachers would try to teach me how to spell my name." She smiled at him. She was glad that Jackson was quick to forgive her, they had been friends at school together and she was fiercely loyal to the Gibbs family, the fact that she had just nearly blown that friendship hurt her a lot.

Jimmy realizing the old woman was trying in her own way to apologize smiled at her, "Do you have any stories of Dad when he was at school?" He asked, breaking the ice between them.

Gibbs sat next to his brother handing him a coffee, "Yeah, I'd like to hear those…..You have some unpacking to do don't ya dad?" he said turning to Jackson.

"Tag teamed by my own sons." Jackson grumbled with a slight smile and headed off to the back, while for the next hour his sons listened to stories of his childhood from one of his oldest friends.

* * *

Ziva and Tony sat in the back of the courtroom nine days later; as both Bruce and John Palmer where sentenced to life. For assault, kidnapping, murder and for Bruce; some old counts of child abuse and spousal abuse that had been on his jacket and his lawyer, who to be honest hadn't tried her hardest to defend him, had suggested he 'cop' to so he wouldn't be tried again later.

As they were, led away, Tony and Ziva surreptitiously 'high-fived' each other and walked out so Tony could spread the news.

He dialed Gibbs' cell as Ziva stood on. "Boss, the Palmer boys just went down for life." He informed his boss with a smile.

He closed the phone and looked at Ziva, "Gibbs is coming back tomorrow, he's given us the afternoon off as we have no active cases right now, So, I'm gonna call McGee…Movie night?" He asked before he rang his teammate.

She nodded, "I'll call Abby." She said and started making her own call.

Tony knew this was what they needed.

They needed sometime where they as a team could hang out and discuss all that had happened between Palmer and Gibbs. Any questions, fears…problems they were likely to encounter in the future would be aired amongst the team tonight and Tony, as always watching Gibbs' six would deal with what he could then and bug Gibbs himself for the answers to any other questions later.

Despite popular belief, Tony knew he was Gibbs' partner and it was his job, to make his partners' job, easier at work.

Gibbs closed his phone and turned to Jimmy who was resting on the sofa.

"Jimmy?" he said quietly.

"Shh Leroy…..Sleeping." Jimmy grumbled and pulled the blanket over his head.

Gibbs grinned in the week they had been there they had forged the brother bond they should have had growing up.

Unlike his father and brother, Jimmy was not an early riser; even though he was recuperating, he was still grouchy in the mornings. He had been sleeping on the couch as Jackson had cleared Jimmy's room the weekend after he had decided to exit via the window in his teens.

Jackson and Gibbs had taken advantage of this and had been slowly and quietly repainting his room, and moving furniture in while he had slept.

Last night, in the attic Gibbs had found a box of Jimmy's old stuff and had brought it down and spent the night putting the finishing touches on his brothers room.

"Come on kid, got something to show ya." Gibbs said poking Jimmy.

"Later!" Jimmy grumbled.

Gibbs stood back, hand on his hips. "PALMER! COFFEE MACHINES ON FIRE!" He yelled.

"WHAT! WHERE! HELP!" Jimmy yelled jumping up. He scowled at Gibbs.

"That's not fair!" he grumbled as Gibbs laughed.

"BOYS!" Jackson called from the front of the store. "KEEP IT DOWN!"

"YES DAD!" They chorused looked at each other and fell about laughing.

At the front of the store, Jackson smiled and realized that he had missed this, he knew he had made a mistake in keeping them apart and wondered what they would have been like if he had allowed them to grow up together.

Gibbs got Jimmy to follow him upstairs.

"What do you want to show me then Leroy?" He asked.

"Been busy while you've been supporting the couch." He said smiling.

He opened the door to Jimmy's old room. Jimmy stood there, it had a fresh coat of blue paint, there were pictures of Gibbs with Shannon and Kelly, Eunice and Jackson on a desk with a new laptop and printer. Medical books where on a shelf on the wall and some of Jimmy's high school trophies for science were displayed.

"Wh…What's this….is this…is this mine?" he asked amazed.

"Yeah I still have my room so we fixed yours up so when you come here you have somewhere to stay too." Gibbs smiled.

"You did this." He said, it was not a question.

"Nope, Dad and I did it…it was his idea." Gibbs told his little brother.

Jimmy turned and ran, For a second there he thought he had done the wrong thing and ran after him, till Jimmy ran into the front of the shop and hugged his father. "Thank you." He said his eyes wet with tears of gratitude.

"For what son?" Jackson asked.

"My…my room?" jimmy said his voice rising thinking maybe Gibbs had just said that to make him feel better.

Then Jackson smiled.

"One of my brighter ideas that, I want you to know this is your home and you have somewhere that is yours." He said.

Jimmy then knew that he and his dad were going to be ok…it, whatever it was that they had between them, as it wasn't totally family yet, was going to be ok.

Gibbs walked up to them, "Jimmy I have to go back to Washington for a few weeks, but I'll be back to pick you up. When you come home, I want you to stay with me until we can find you an apartment you like."

Jimmy smiled. "Also, I heard from DiNozzo this morning, sit down a second." He said.

His smile faded as he sat at the table. Jackson put a coffee in front of him.

"Bruce and John Palmer were sentenced today." Jimmy took a swig of his coffee hoping that neither of the other men noticed his hands shake. "They both got life….they're gone." Gibbs said. Jimmy looked relieved then a thought crossed his mind.

"Mom….will she…will they put her away for life too?" he asked scared.

Gibbs shook his head, "I enrolled her in a secure unit and talked to a judge, providing she completes the course and stays clean, no charges will be brought, whether or not she has contact with you is entirely in your hands." He said.

"I…I want to see her, she's my mom….I can't not be there for her now."

"She will be allowed to call you in two weeks, I talked to her doctor, and she's being given my cell number. When she does call, I'll be right by your side." He promised his little brother.

Jimmy nodded. Gibbs grabbed his go bag. "I've gotta go I'll see you both in two weeks."

* * *

Eunice Palmer sat in her one to one therapy session. The last month had been one of the hardest she had ever faced.

Not only had she had to come to terms with her addiction, but also she had been confronted with the mental and physical damage she had inflicted on her son.

Gibbs had seen Jenny Pressman the file so Eunice could see what Jimmy had had to go through. Although she had at first not let her patient see it listening to her go on for hours on end about how Bruce was going to save them and tell them what they needed to do and how Bruce would make sure Jimmy was brought back into line. She had had enough and had finally shown the woman the file.

She had slowly read the file; the horror of what she had done to her boy was etched on her face.

"Eunice, Bruce was an enabler, he needed you to be addicted and he used your dependence on him to hurt Jimmy. You tried to sell your son to his pedophile uncle for drugs!" She said not sorry for the tears the woman was having. "James is a loving boy, he was eleven when Bruce first threw him out wasn't he?" She asked.

Eunice cracked then, realizing the way she had remembered Jimmy's childhood was Bruce's version of events.

"He was…I thought I was doing the right thing….Bruce suggested I get rid of him, he was always in the way when Bruce's friends came round…" She stopped as she remembered what Bruce had made her do and then the realization that, that was what she had tried to do to her son.

"I…I can't talk to Jimmy, he's going to hate me! He should hate me!" she burst into tears again.

"Eunice, you have taken a huge step today, you are nowhere near ready to be released, but I have arranged with Agent Gibbs for you to have a supervised phone call with Jimmy." She told the other woman.

Eunice took the tissue the other woman handed her and listened as the Doctor dialed the number.

"Gibbs."

"Agent Gibbs, its Eunice Palmer and Dr. Pressman, is Jimmy willing to take a call from his mother?" She asked.

"Yeah, hold on." There was a rustle on the other end as Gibbs handed the phone over.

"Mom?" Jimmy said.

"Jimmy it's your mom and Dr. Pressman, this call is being supervised for both your safety, are you willing to continue with the call?" she asked.

"Yeah." Jimmy said.

Dr. Pressman nodded and Eunice spoke, "Jimmy, baby….I'm so sorry, I've been working with the doctor and I know that I have a long way to go but I wanted you to know I'm trying." She said.

For a second jimmy didn't answer, Then his voice full of emotion said, "I know Ma…Please work with her I want you to be able to come home."

"The doctor says I may be here for a long time….The drugs made my brain a bit fuzzy, I need to get better….I just need to know did he hurt you?" Eunice asked.

Jimmy had no idea if she meant Bruce, John, or even his dad, but he decided that it did not matter, all that mattered was that his mother was trying. "No Ma….He never hurt me, you get better now and as soon as you're well enough I'll come and visit."

Eunice smiled even though Jimmy could not see her.

"I love you Jimmy." She said with a glint of hope in her eyes.

Two hundred and sixteen miles away, Jimmy Palmer looked at his father and brother who were sitting nearby supporting him and for the first time ever he felt like family surrounded him.

"I love you too Ma….we're gonna be ok." He said and smiled.

 


End file.
